Inside Nigeria Sports

Nigeria Pitch Awards Getting Bigger Yearly, Says Shina Philips

.As Alex Iwobi, Ndidi, Others Top Nigeria Pitch Award Nominees 2018/19

Ben Memuletiwon April 27, 2019

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The Nigeria Pitch Award that started like the mustard seed six years ago has blossomed and now become the big Oak as nominees for the sixth edition were announced at the Ibis Hotels, in Lagos, during the week.

An elated Shina Philips, leader of the organisers of the Nigeria Pitch Awards said: “The Nigeria Pitch Awards has come to stay and as organisers, we will continue to put in all that is necessary to sustain the standards that the awards have set,

“It is our delight that players, coaches, journalists and other football stakeholders now look forward to the annual award ceremonies. Our desire is to continue to up the game and inspire footballers to do more for themselves and for the country.”

At the occasion, Arsenal star, Alex Iwobi was nominated as one of the top three players in the Midfielder of the Year category alongside Wilfred Ndidi of Leceister and Stke City’s Oghenekaro Etebo while Super Eagles trio of Ahmed Musa, Odion Ighalo and Wilfred Ndidi were shortlisted for the King of the Pitch Award for the 2018/19 edition.

Speaking at the event, Nneka Eneli, Head of Corporate Services, who represented erudite accountant, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, the Managing Partner of SIAO Partners, said the shortlist of potential winners was drawn from the votes cast by sports journalists across the country between February and March 2019.

Eneli said: “Voting for the 6th edition of the awards took place between 1st February and 1st March 2019. We assure all voters of the Nigeria Pitch Awards that their votes have been adequately captured and the results are the wishes of all who voted. Let me stress again that the entire process was professionally handled by our team of accountants and auditors without any form of interference from the organisers or sponsors.”

See the full list of the nominees below.

GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR
IKECHUKWU EZENWA
THEOPHILUS AFELOKHAI
FRANCIS ODINAKA UDOHO

DEFENDER OF THE YEAR
LEON BALOGUN WILLIAM TROOST-EKONG
KENNETH OMERUO

MIDFIELDER OF THE YEAR
WILFRED NDIDI
ALEX IWOBI
KENNETH OMERUO

STRIKER OF THE YEAR
JUNIOR LOKOSA
ODION IGHALO
OGHENEKARO ETEBO

MVP IN NPFL 2018/19
JUNIOR LOKOSA
GODWIN AGUDA
MFOM UDOH

MVP IN THE NWFL 2018/19
ANAM IMO
EVELYN NWABUOKU
RASHEEDAT AJIBADE

QUEEN OF THE PITCH
ASISAT OSHOALA
FRANCISCA ORDEGA
RASHEEDAT AJIBADE

KING OF THE PITCH
ODION IGHALO
AHMED MUSA
WILFRED NDIDI

COACH OF THE YEAR
THOMAS DENNERBY
GBENGA OGUNBOTE
SOLOMON OGBEIDE

CLUB OF THE YEAR
AKWA UNITED
ENUGU RANGERS
LOBI STARS

NATIONAL TEAM OF THE YEAR
SUPER SAND EAGLES
SUPER FALCONS
SUPER EAGLES