Finalists for MFA Awards 2013 revealed

mfa-awards2013-launchThe finalists for nine of the awards which will be presented during the MFA Awards night on June 14th at the MFCC, Ta’ Qali were revealed during a press conference which was held at the Centenary Hall, Ta’ Qali on Monday.

MFA Chief Executive Officer Bjorn Vassallo said that the need to bring together the various presentation of awards in a single event on a national scale was long due. He said discussions on the matter started a few months and last month, the Council approved the new regulations for the various awards.

Photo: Copyright © Joe Borg

For the most coveted award – the Footballer of the Year – rather than having clubs nominating players, the voting panel, consisting of the twelve Premier League clubs’ captains, the twelve Premier League clubs’ coaches, the MFA Technical Director, the national A team coach, the Under-21 national team coach and eleven journalists could give their three preferences among Maltese players (or players who are eligible to play for the Malta national team).

For each of the BOV First Division, BOV Second Division and BOV Third Division Best Players, the voting panel consisted of the clubs’ captains and clubs’ coaches. The voting panel for the BOV Women’s League Best Player was made up of the fourteen clubs’ captains, the fourteen clubs’ coaches, the MFA Technical Director and the women’s national team coach.

The MFA Technical Director, the Under-19 national team coach and the Under-19 national team assistant coach short-listed ten players from the Youth League for the Best Youth League Player. The voting panel was made up of the captains of the ten teams in Section A, the coaches of the ten teams in Section A, the MFA Technical Director, the Under-19 national team coach and the Under-19 national team assistant coach.

The Best Young Player of the Year award was based on the PFA Young Player of the Year award which is presented in England. Players born 1st January 1992 or later were eligible for this award with the voting panel consisting of the twelve Premier League clubs’ captains, the twelve Premier League clubs’ coaches, the MFA Technical Director, the Under-21 national team coach, the Under-21 national team assistant coach and eleven journalists.

For the Coach of the Year and Best Foreign Player Award, the voting panel was made up of the twelve Premier League clubs’ captains, the twelve Premier League clubs’ coaches, the MFA Technical Director, the national A team coach, the Under-21 national team coach and eleven journalists.

A panel of journalists short-listed ten goals for the Goal of the Year award. The general public will have the opportunity to vote via televoting for one of these goals. Five goals will be be declared as the official nominees on the final night and the general public will once again be invited to vote via televoting during the awards night.

A new award is The President’s Award. The winner of this award will be decided by the MFA President and shall be granted to a person or group of persons who in his personal opinion deserves to be recognised for an outstanding contribution to the game.

The MFA Awards 2013 night, which will also feature the draws of the BOV Premier League 2013/14, will be broadcast live on TVM2.

Other speakers during the press conference were MFA Head of Legal Department Dr Chris Bonnett, Public Broadcasting Services CEO Anton Attard and artistic director Peter Busuttil.

The finalists:

MFA Footballer of the Year

  • Clayton Failla (Hibernians)
  • Paul Fenech (Birkirkara)
  • Justin Haber (Birkirkara)
  • Edward Herrera (Birkirkara)
  • Gareth Sciberras (Birkirkara)

Coach of the Year

  • Clive Mizzi (Tarxien)
  • Michael Woods (Hibernians)
  • Paul Zammit (Birkirkara)

Best Young Player of the Year

  • Jean Paul Farrugia (Hibernians)
  • Bjorn Kristensen (Hibernians)
  • Zach Muscat (Birkirkara)

Best Foreign Player of the Year

  • Daniel Mariano Bueno (Tarxien)
  • Igor Coronado (Floriana)
  • Alejandro Mendoza Corujo (Birkirkara)

BOV First Division Best Player

  • Erjon Beu (Lija)
  • Raphael Alain Kooh Sohna (Pietà)
  • Lydon Micallef (Vittoriosa)

BOV Second Division Best Player

  • Osi Lucky Agboebina (St. George’s)
  • Mauricio Osmar Rodrigues Britto (Zebbug)
  • Alan Tabone (Zebbug)

BOV Third Division Best Player

  • Marko Milutinovic (Marsaskala)
  • Lee Joe Schembri (Sirens)
  • Timothy Thomas (Senglea)

BOV Women’s League Best Player

  • Ylenia Carabott (Hibernians)
  • Rachel Cuschieri (Birkirkara)
  • Dorianne Theuma (Mosta)

Best Youth League Player

  • Johann Bezzina (Hibernians)
  • Yenz Cini (Valletta)
  • Llywelyn Cremona (Valletta)