“For me, the best three players of the season are three for different reasons,” said Modise.
“Andile Jali has been very instrumental for Sundowns’ success, I saw the best of him after a while this season. For Themba Zwane it has been the consistency for me because it is difficult in SA football to find a player who is consistent.
“For the last three to four years he (Zwane) has been one of the most consistent players in the league for Sundowns and to see him still be that consistent is very impressive.
“It is also impressive to see Peter Shalulile being the player that he is for Sundowns. It has been a while since we saw a goalscorer of note for Sundowns. At Sundowns when they won championships, it has always been everybody contributing with goals but it is good to see him being consistent. These are my three candidates for the player of the season.”
Modise had special praise for Shalulile who still has a chance of equalling or beating Collins Mbesuma’s long-standing 17-year-old record of 25 league goals in a season.
Teko Modise fancies Jali, Zwane or Shalulile for player of the season
Former SuperSport United, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns playmaker Teko Modise has tipped either Andile Jali, Themba Zwane or Peter Shalulile to walk away with the coveted PSL Player of the Season award.
The Mamelodi Sundowns trio are among standout performers for the Brazilians during their highly impressive run to their unprecedented fifth successive PSL title.
Sundowns were confirmed as DStv Premiership champions in April with four matches to spare and that was the earliest a league championship had been wrapped up in SA since the 2006-07 season.
Asked which players impressed him the most during the campaign, former Bafana Bafana midfielder Modise could not pick one particular player but settled for Jali, Zwane and Shalulile.
“For me, the best three players of the season are three for different reasons,” said Modise.
“Andile Jali has been very instrumental for Sundowns’ success, I saw the best of him after a while this season. For Themba Zwane it has been the consistency for me because it is difficult in SA football to find a player who is consistent.
“For the last three to four years he (Zwane) has been one of the most consistent players in the league for Sundowns and to see him still be that consistent is very impressive.
“It is also impressive to see Peter Shalulile being the player that he is for Sundowns. It has been a while since we saw a goalscorer of note for Sundowns. At Sundowns when they won championships, it has always been everybody contributing with goals but it is good to see him being consistent. These are my three candidates for the player of the season.”
Modise had special praise for Shalulile who still has a chance of equalling or beating Collins Mbesuma’s long-standing 17-year-old record of 25 league goals in a season.
With two league matches remaining in the campaign for Sundowns against Stellenbosch and Royal AM, Shalulile is currently sitting on 22 strikes and on his way to the Golden Boot.
“I think Shalulile could score more, maybe I am being a little bit harsh on him, but he works so hard and he gets into the right positions. But at the same time, that comes with experience in terms of being more clinical in every game where he a chance to score.”
What has impressed Modise is his hunger to score goals.
“It is also interesting to see the hunger that he has for scoring goals, in SA you hardly see a striker that actually gets excited in scoring goals and to see that happening after Bhele Nomvethe is good to see and hopefully he will continue next season. We also want to see a top goalscorer scoring more than 20 goals.”
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