Africa-Press – Uganda. It always felt like a bit of an anticlimax that the topflight Startimes Uganda Premier league rewarded players and coaches monthly and after every match-day but without end of season accolades.
That is bound to change at the end of this season after Uganda Breweries through their Pilsner Lager brand committed to sponsor the awards.
“As you know we recently unveiled a Shs1 billion shillings investment in local football and these End of Season Awards is part of this investment. Since we are awarding the best players of each game and of each month, it only makes sense that we also recognize the overall best players who have stood tall the entire season,” the Pilsner brand manager Edgar Kihumuro noted.
Having last been held in 2017 when Geoffrey Sserunkuma emerged MVP, the awards return with a better package according to league CEO Bernard Bainamanai.
“We are going to involve all stakeholders in the determination of the winners of these awards. For some of the awards like Top Goal Scorer, Most Assists, Goalkeeper of the Season, Fair Play Team of the Season and Coach of the Season, the winners will be determined using statistics,” Bainamani explained.
He also revealed that a team comprising a technical panel, journalists and fans will then choose the other awards such as the Player of the Season, Defender of the Season, Midfielder of the Season and Young Player of the Season and the UPL Best Eleven.
Another category of “the Players’ Player of the Season and Coaches’ Player of the Season which will determined by the players and head coaches has also been introduced.
Each recipient will this time receive a special plaque and a token of appreciation to reward their efforts.
The trend is a departure from the usual norm where the UPL MVP was awarded with a car; a pattern followed with the Fufa Awards.
Fufa Executive Committee Member, Rogers Byamukama expressed the federation’s delight at development.
“Fufa is delighted to see Pilsner Lager renew its partnership with the league and in particular to promote excellence in the game. Growing and expanding our relationships with our corporate partners is one of the pillars of developing our game and we look forward to these awards,” Byamukama said.
CATEGORIES TO BE AWARDED
Player of the Season
Top Goal Scorer of the Season
Most Assists of the Season
Midfielder of the Season
Defender of the Season
Goalkeeper of the Season
Coach of the Season
Young Player of the Season
Players’ Player of the Season
Coaches’ Player of the Season
Fair Play Team of the Season
UPL Best XI
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