The debate as to who was the standout player in the just-ended Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season can go on until the cows come —naturally because everyone has an opinion and football fans are no exception.
Opinions are like noses —everybody has one.
Next Friday, the football-loving public will know who the 2022 Soccer Star of the Year award winner is- after a panel of 86 people, comprising of football writers, club captains and coaches, voted.
Frank Makarati (Dynamos), Devine Mhindirira (Highlanders), Delic Murimba (Ngezi Platinum Stars) Nelson Chadya (Ngezi Platinum Stars), Tino Benza (Herentals), Eli Ilunga (Black Rhinos), Brian Muza (Chicken Inn), William Manondo (CAPS United), Gift Bello (FC Platinum), Wallace Magalane (FC Platinum) and Walter Musona (FC Platinum), are the eleven finalists and one of them will be awarded the prestigious gong.
Musona though, should win it and walk away with USD7500 prize money.
The Aces Youth Academy graduate came back from South Africa when many felt his once-promising career had taken a huge nosedive —understandably so, considering how he was shown the exit door at the Premiership newcomers Sekhukhune United.
Those familiar with what goes on in the FC Platinum camp even claim that Norman Mapeza was initially skeptical of signing Musona.
He was not even sure if the former Polokwane City man would add value to the platinum miners.
When he finally inked a deal to join the Zvishavane-based side, the former Young Warriors star missed a number of games.
He was still not fully fit, because of the nagging injury which somewhat contributed to his fruitless last months in South Africa.
Musona’s return to action coincided with Platinum’s resurgence in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League after a slow start to the season.
He was one of the key drivers of the FC Platinum revival —which propelled Mapeza’s charges to their fourth league title on the bounce —one they won with three games to spare.
Musona scored 14 times and provided five assists for the platinum miners, meaning he was involved in 19 of their 54 league goals.
He netted one goal in the Chibuku Super Cup, taking his tally for the season in all completions to 15 —impressive figures for someone who is not even a centre-forward.
Anyone who followed the top-flight league in the just-ended campaign cannot cast a blind eye to Musona’s consistency for FC Platinum.
He scored in five consecutive games in the second half of the campaign and no other player achieved that all season. It is that kind of evenness which can better explain why Musona was incomparable this season.
His reliability in the champions’ search for goals, was unparalleled.
While his biggest threat to the award — Mandondo, was to some extent outstanding for CAPS, his number of goals is the only statistic which beats the former Sekhukhune United man.
While Manondo was the standout player at CAPS, during a time when the Green Machine plummeted due to financial struggles, the former Harare City man simply lacked the consistency to be the best player of the season.
He went on a 7-game goal drought in the second half of the season, one he eventually broke against Bulawayo Chiefs on November 5.
Not taking anything away from Manondo, Musona simply has more reasons to win the top award.