Mathebula caps ‘best season ever’
Swallows midfielder in line for Player of the Season award
BEST season ever as a professional soccer player.” This is how Moroka Swallows midfielder David Mathebula yesterday described his nomination for the 2011-2012 Absa Premiership Player of the Season award.
Mathebula is one of the three players nominated for the award.
The other two nominees are Mathebula’s teammate and freescoring veteran striker Siyabonga Nomvethe and rock solid defender Siyabonga Sangweni.
Nomvethe is also the top goalscorer with 20 goals and will walk away with the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot award.
“I received a telephone call from my brother Peter in Limpopo on Monday night, he is the one who broke the news that I have been nominated. I was so happy because I knew that I have done very well this season,” said Mathebula.
“It feels good to be nominated, it is the first time I have been nominated for the Player of the Season award in my soccer career. This is a wonderful recognition and will encourage many other players to work hard at training.
“It’s the biggest honour for me to be nominated in the Player of the Season award category, considering there are so many players in the Premier Soccer League. This has been the best season ever for me.
“I want to thank coach Gordon Igesund for me transforming into the kind of player I am today. When I joined Swallows at the beginning of the season, coach Gordon told me to work hard at training because he wanted me to form part of his winning team.
“I’m also happy that Bhele [Nomvethe] has been nominated for the same award. This is good for Swallows because we are also chasing the league title and coach Gordon has also been nominated for the Coach of the Season award.
“We are going to sweep the boards at the end of the season awards ceremony,” said the hardworking Mathebula, who turned professional in 2004 in Limpopo with Pat Malabela’s Dynamos before moving to Kaizer Chiefs and Mpumalanga Black Aces.
Mathebula has been in terrific form this season, a unique midfielder who scored 10 goals, which contributed to the success of Swallows who are away to Maritzburg United on Saturday for their last league game of the season.
Commenting on their chances of winning the league title, Mathebula said: “This is the first time in a very long that Swallows are in line to win the league, credit should go to coach Gordon and the entire team for a job well done.
“I know we caught many people by surprise because Swallows were fighting for survival last season. We are going into Saturday’s game confident that we will fly back with the league title. Gone are the days when Swallows are involved in relegation battles,” said Mathebula.