I will walk tall and victorious, says Manyama
JOBURG - Lebogang Manyama of Cape Town City is confident of walking away with the coveted award at the #PSLAwards.
Alex footballer Lebogang Manyama, nominated for Absa Premiership Footballer of the Season along with Thulani Hlatshwayo and Hlompho Kekana, is confident of walking tall and victorious on the night of the glittering #PSLAwards.
The premier awards, which mark the end of the premiership season, will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre on the night of 10 July and will be graced by the who’s who of South African football and sports media.
Speaking at a press conference also attended by Hlatshwayo of Bidvest Wits and Kekana of Mamelodi Sundowns, Manyama, the Cape Town City skipper, said he had the greatest respect for his fellow awardees whom he has known for several years but he was confident he would pip them to the coveted award.
Read: Alexandra’s Manyama expected to sweep the boards at #PSLAwards
Manyama, who’s nominated for other awards and is certain to walk away with the Golden Boot Award as the
leading goal scorer, said he was not undermining the work and effort put in by his counterparts.
“They’re equally talented and deserving to be here with me,” he said. “They have done tremendous work for their respective clubs but I cannot be on this platform if I think I do not deserve to win. I am confident that I will walk tall and victorious on the night of the awards.”
Manyama cut his teeth in football playing on the dusty grounds of Alex before being snapped up by former Bafana midfielder Maimane Alfred Phiri’s FC Alexandra outfit.
Hlatshwayo, popularly known as ‘Tyson’ because of his physique, described his nomination as an honour and achievement that speaks to the hard work he has been putting in at Wits and Bafana Bafana.
Read: Cape Town City’s Lebogang Manyama leads the scoring pack with 12 goals
Equally honoured was the Brazilians skipper, Kekana, who said he was not honoured by the nomination but was humbled to know that some people somewhere noticed his abilities, skills and the work he puts in each time they play.
Kekana, who has been nominated on two previous occasions but has never won, said he looked forward to seeing the best player of the season walking away with the award.
Hlatshwayo is an integral member of the newly crowned champions of the Absa Premiership 2016/17 season and stalwart defender for Bafana Bafana while Kekana is an African champion of the all-conquering Sundowns, who won the domestic premiership, Caf Champions League and Caf Super Cup last year.
Manyama has led his Cape Town City side with distinction in their maiden season of the premiership, emerging as the most stylish player and leading goalscorer.
