Lebogang Manyama has matured from a forward with pace‚ skill and all the necessary high-level attributes but lacking in consistency‚ to a week-in‚ week-out model of destructive forward capability. Manyama beat about 450 Premier Soccer League (PSL) players to the 2016-17 Footballer of the Season award in Sandton on Monday night and claimed the Player’s Player of the Season prize. Manyama also collected Top Scorer for the 13 goals that helped Cape Town City finish third in their first PSL season. Manyama said his agent and mentor, Maimane Phiri, influenced his decision to remain with Mpumalanga Black Aces when they were sold to John Comitis and moved to Cape Town a year ago. It was not the first time Phiri has played a role in Manyama making a crucial move to the Cape. As coach of lower-tier Alexandra FC‚ the ex-Bafana Bafana midfielder saw to it that his young protégé got a move to Ajax Cape Town in 2010. "I can never forget the recognition I get from people from Alex for this award‚...

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