THE Premier Soccer League (PSL) has effected changes to the selection of the Castle Lager Footballer of the year- modelling it along the lines of the Fifa Ballon d’Or.
Under the changes, club captains of the 16 premier league sides are now set to be part of the panel to choose the outstanding player this season.
Football writers have been dominating the selection process every year but now although they have been retained on the panel of selectors, the number has been reduced with sixteen coaches from all the clubs in the elite league also set to take part.
A total of 30 journalists from various media houses are now set to take part in the selection process this year, down from the 33 football writers who took part in last year’s selection process.
PSL chief executive Kenny Ndebele wrote to Sports editors of local media houses confirming the changes.
“We write to advise that Delta Beverages and Castle Lager Premier Soccer league have re-organised the Panel of Selectors for the Castle Lager PSL Monthly and Annual Awards,” wrote Ndebele.
“The panel of selectors shall be as follows:

Print and Electronic Media — 30 votes
Castle Lager PSL Team Captains — 16 votes
Castle Lager PSL Team Coaches — 16 votes (Total — 52 votes)

“Please, be further advised that due to the increase in the number of media houses, we have spread votes across the print and electronic media.”
The Footballer of the Year selection process has for years courted controversy.
Only last year, the selection of Dynamos midfielder Tawanda Muparati as the outstanding player of the year met with disapproval from various football stakeholders with some arguing that Harare City’s Silas Songani was the best player of the year.Advertisement