It's that time of the season where you, the KICK OFF readers, can vote for your Footballer of the Season.
Below are the nominees for the big award:
Deon Hotto (Bidvest Wits)
- 27 starts, four subs, six goals, 14 assists
By the beginning of April, Hotto, had already started? 26 matches in all competitions, making a remarkable 14 assists, while netting four goals himself. That is a good return on investment for a player who joined as a free agent. Hotto started the season with a bang, netting two goals and making two assists against Free State Stars and Kaizer Chiefs.
Hlompho Kekana (Mamelodi Sundowns)
- 40 starts, one sub, three goals, one assist (includes CAF Champions League)
Season after season, Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Hlompho Kekana picks up from where he left off the previous campaign and this year has been no different. Despite Sundowns being involved in two CAF Champions League campaign in one PSL season, Kekana had no problem in handling the pressure and performing consistently on ?the continent, as well as the domestic front.
Thembinkosi Lorch (Orlando Pirates)
- 28 starts, five subs, 11 goals, four assists (includes CAF Champions League)
The Telkom Knockout?final defeat against Baroka?FC and the penalty miss during the shootouts is not a true reflection of Thembinkosi Lorch’s season. The Orlando Pirates attacking player had by far the best campaign of his career with a return of nine goals and four assists in all domestic matches. In the CAF Champions League, the 25-year-old started seven matches, coming on? as a substitute once and netting two goals.
Lebohang Maboe (Mamelodi Sundowns)
- 39 starts, three subs, nine goals, eight assists (includes CAF Champions League)
Competing with players like Toni Silva and Jose Ali Meza, the former Maritzburg United man took the mantle and forced?his way into the star-studded line-up. And his selection was justified by the nine goals he scored in all the competitions and five assists. Maboe’s form has also put him in a good position to make Bafana Bafana’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations squad. Whether Maboe ends up winning the KICK OFF gong or not, there‘s certainly no doubt that the player is one of the best performers this season.
Jabu Maluleke (Polokwane City)
- 21 starts, one sub, three goals, six assists
Despite the ripe age of 37, the attacking midfielder is not showing any signs of slowing down, scoring three goals and making six valuable assists. In October, Maluleke was handed the PSL Player of Month award after impressive performances against SuperSport United, Maritzburg United and Kaizer Chiefs. When lead goal-scorer Rodney Ramagalela found himself out of the team due to contractual issues, Maluleka grabbed the bull by the horns, and led Rise and Shine through the difficult times.
Gift Motupa (Bidvest Wits)
- 15 starts, six subs, 11 goals, three assists
After joining Bidvest Wits via a few weeks at Chippa United this season, Motupa formed a deadly combination with Deon Hotto, Mxolisi Mcuphu and Terrence Dzvukamanja. Early on in the season, Wits stole the march in the title race, winning four of their first five matches with Motupa netting two goals. But the striker’s best run came between 20 January and 15 March, wherehe scored six goals in as many matches.
Mwape Musonda (Black Leopards)
- 23 starts, 14 goals, one assist
After 22 League matches, Black Leopards’ red-hot striker Mwape Musonda had already scored 12 goals, which is?one more than last season’s join-top scorers, Percy Tau and Rodney Ramagalela, managed. Musonda also scored the first PSL hat-trick in two years when Leopards came from 2-0 down to beat Chippa United 3-2 in March.
Mothobi Mvala (Highlands Park)
- 24 starts, one sub, eight goals
He has been in rich form, netting eight goals in 25 matches. While the Lions of the North were knocked in the first round of the Telkom Knockout and second round of the Nedbank Cup, it is in the league where Mvala’s goals have been crucial this season.
HOW TO VOTE
Vote for your KICK OFF Footballer of the Season online by clicking here, or have your say via our social media polls on either Facebook or Twitter. Voting is open from April 29 to May 13, 2019.
