Players from each of the top three teams in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) season are up for the top player gong at this year's Football Association of Singapore (FAS) awards ceremony.
The nominees for the various awards were announced yesterday. The winners will be feted at the FAS Nite 2019 at Orchard Hotel Singapore next Thursday.
SPL top scorer Andrei Varankou, who plundered 21 goals for champions Brunei DPMM, is one of three men shortlisted for the Player of the Year Award.
Also in the fray are Shahdan Sulaiman, skipper of runners-up Tampines Rovers, and Faris Ramli, striker from third-placed Hougang United.
Said 31-year-old national midfielder Shahdan: "I was caught by surprise and wasn't expecting it at all. However, I feel this recognition is a result of the whole team playing well. So I feel like this nomination is not only for me personally, but everyone in Tampines Rovers."
Faris, who has 16 league goals, said: "I have mixed feelings. I'm glad to be recognised but disappointed that, despite Hougang improving (to their best league finish), we fell short of winning silverware."
DPMM's Adrian Pennock is up for the Coach of the Year award, along with Hougang's Clement Teo and Noor Ali of Geylang International.
Albirex Niigata, who finished the season empty-handed for the first time since 2014, have two players - defender Kaishu Yamazaki, 22, and midfielder Kyoga Nakamura, 23 - shortlisted for the Young Player of the Year award. Home United's 20-year-old midfielder Hami Syahin, who made his Lions debut recently, is the third nominee.
Geylang's Barry Maguire's volley against the Young Lions is the front runner for Goal of the Year, with strikes by Hougang's Shahfiq Ghani (against DPMM) and Nakamura (against Home) also shortlisted.
The Straits Times correspondents Sazali Abdul Aziz and David Lee are both up for the Story of the Year award, with Channel NewsAsia Digital journalist Matthew Mohan also nominated.
FAS NITE 2019: NOMINEES FOR MAJOR AWARDS
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
• Andrei Varankou (DPMM)
• Faris Ramli (Hougang)
• Shahdan Sulaiman (Tampines)
YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR
• Hami Syahin (Home)
• Kaishu Yamazaki (Albirex)
• Kyoga Nakamura (Albirex)
COACH OF THE YEAR
• Adrian Pennock (DPMM)
• Clement Teo (Hougang)
• Noor Ali (Geylang)
GOAL OF THE YEAR
• Kyoga Nakamura (Albirex)
• Barry Maguire (Geylang)
• Shahfiq Ghani (Hougang)
REFEREE OF THE YEAR
• Farhad Mohamed
• G. Letchman
• Juherman Zaiton
ASSISTANT REFEREE OF THE YEAR
• Ronnie Koh
• Abdul Hannan Abdul Hasim
• Ong Chai Lee
WOMEN'S PLAYER OF THE YEAR
• Nur Izyan Ahmad (Simei United)
• Nur Emilia Natasha (Police SA)
• Nabilla Aina (Home United)
WOMEN'S YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR
• Nur Umairah Hamdan (Tampines Changkat)
• Nur Emilia Natasha (Police SA)
• Winette Lim (Home United)
STORY OF THE YEAR
• Sazali Abdul Aziz (The Straits Times)
• David Lee (The Straits Times)
• Matthew Mohan (Channel NewsAsia Digital)
PHOTO OF THE YEAR
• Ko Po Hui (Bolasepako.com)
• Chua Boon Ping (Junpiter Futbol)
• Matthew Mohan (Channel NewsAsia Digital)
