CIVICS’ mercurial midfielder Heinrich Isaacks pocketed a total of N$25 000 after being crowned as Namibia’s Footballer of the Year at the annual Namibia Football Association awards on Saturday.
He also emerged as the Top Goal Scorer for the past season. The Brave Warriors midfielder reached the historic milestone only at the age of 21 and is destined for a bright future.He put away 20 goals for his side in their 2005/2006 league campaign that landed them the second league title since their formation.Isaacks, nicknamed ‘Skapie’ by his teammates, recently also scored on his debut for the senior national team in their Cosafa Castle Cup clash against Malawi in Windhoek.He also competed in two African Champions League competitions and has won numerous awards in his football career since his school days at Jan Jonker Afrikaner and Concordia College.Isaacks will possibly move to Germany next season after his club management held talks with various top clubs in that country.His team Civics became N$500 000 richer as they were officially crowned as the league champions by Minister of Sport John Mutorwa at a glittering event, which also saw various cash prizes being given to the various league winners, administrators and match officials.Ramblers’ prolific striker Lazarus Kaimbi was named as the Young Player of the Season and took home N$10 000.Kaimbi turns out for the under-20 national team and made an impact during the Zone Six Games that were held in Namibia over a month ago, while he has scored eight goals in the league last season.Civics’ team manager Paul Stramis was also rewarded for his tireless efforts in making sure that his team’s administration is in order.He was given N$10 000 for his input into his club and the game in general.Sport Klub Windhoek (SKW) coach Richard Starke was named the Coach of the Season after his side successfully survived relegation, while he also led them to their first-ever NFA Cup final against Orlando Pirates this year.Despite losing in that final, Starke’s men have shown a high level of discipline and will be among the underdogs in forthcoming major tournaments, while they would want to consolidate their position in the league this time around.Starke also pocketed N$10 000 for his outstanding leadership qualities during the season.African Stars, who ended fifth in the league last season, took the Team of the Season award.Stars started the season with mixed results, but sharpened their strikers in the second round of matches who took them into the top five in a rather tough league campaign which was dominated by Civics, Ramblers and Blue Waters.Ramblers received N$225 000 for finishing as runners-up in the league, while Blue Waters were given N$130 000 for ending third.Orlando Pirates were fourth and received N$90 000, while African Stars were fifth, pocketing a total of N$45 000.Friends, who gain premiership status for the coming season, were rewarded with N$35 000 for winning the league, while Golden Bees were given the same amount for their efforts in the Northern Stream First Division.It is still not clear who won the league in the Northern Stream First Division, as there was a dispute after the outcome of a match between Golden Bees and Robber Chanties.The winner will be announced this week, when the NFA Disciplinary Committee is expected to make a ruling on the dispute.In other awards, South African-based Namibian striker Henrico Botes was given the NFA International of the Season award, a new category created this year.The Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) League of the Season award was given to the Ohangwena Region.It is also a new category and honours the best-run league in the country.The NFA Administrator of the Season Award was given to Rudolf Shaya Mupiri who runs the northern-based Caprivi league, while the NFA Special Contribution award (also new) was given to Willem Hans by NFA acting president John Muinjo.The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) scooped the Media Institution of the Season awards for radio and television, while Boet Matthews of Republikein was named the Print Media Practitioner of the Season.Long-serving Brave Warriors mascot Robbie Savage was also rewarded for his unwavering support to football and especially the national team, as he was named the Supporter of the Season.Savage pocketed N$2 000.MTC also gave awards for the annual NFA Cup tournament, of which Rudolph Bester of Eleven Arrows was named as the Top Goal Scorer (five goals).Arvo Mufeti was the Referee of the Series, while Erastus Shilunga took the Assistant Referee of the Series award.The Team of the Series was SKW, while Immanuel Nawaseb of Orlando Pirates was the best team manager.Helmuth Maletzky, who plays for Orlando Pirates, was the best goalkeeper, while Riaan Cloete, also of Pirates, was named as the Player of the Series.The Brave Warriors midfielder reached the historic milestone only at the age of 21 and is destined for a bright future.He put away 20 goals for his side in their 2005/2006 league campaign that landed them the second league title since their formation.Isaacks, nicknamed ‘Skapie’ by his teammates, recently also scored on his debut for the senior national team in their Cosafa Castle Cup clash against Malawi in Windhoek.He also competed in two African Champions League competitions and has won numerous awards in his football career since his school days at Jan Jonker Afrikaner and Concordia College.Isaacks will possibly move to Germany next season after his club management held talks with various top clubs in that country.His team Civics became N$500 000 richer as they were officially crowned as the league champions by Minister of Sport John Mutorwa at a glittering event, which also saw various cash prizes being given to the various league winners, administrators and match officials.Ramblers’ prolific striker Lazarus Kaimbi was named as the Young Player of the Season and took home N$10 000.Kaimbi turns out for the under-20 national team and made an impact during the Zone Six Games that were held in Namibia over a month ago, while he has scored eight goals in the league last season.Civics’ team manager Paul Stramis was also rewarded for his tireless efforts in making sure that his team’s administration is in order.He was given N$10 000 for his input into his club and the game in general.Sport Klub Windhoek (SKW) coach Richard Starke was named the Coach of the Season after his side successfully survived relegation, while he also led them to their first-ever NFA Cup final against Orlando Pirates this year.Despite losing in that final, Starke’s men have shown a high level of discipline and will be among the underdogs in forthcoming major tournaments, while they would want to consolidate their position in the league this time around.Starke also pocketed N$10 000 for his outstanding leadership qualities during the season.African Stars, who ended fifth in the league last season, took the Team of the Season award.Stars started the season with mixed results, but sharpened their strikers in the second round of matches who took them into the top five in a rather tough league campaign which was dominated by Civics, Ramblers and Blue Waters.Ramblers received N$225 000 for finishing as runners-up in the league, while Blue Waters were given N$130 000 for ending third.Orlando Pirates were fourth and received N$90 000, while African Stars were fifth, pocketing a total of N$45 000.Friends, who gain premiership status for the coming season, were rewarded with N$35 000 for winning the league, while Golden Bees were given the same amount for their efforts in the Northern Stream First Division.It is still not clear who won the league in the Northern Stream First Division, as there was a dispute after the outcome of a match between Golden Bees and Robber Chanties.The winner will be announced this week, when the NFA Disciplinary Committee is expected to make a ruling on the dispute.In other awards, South African-based Namibian striker Henrico Botes was given the NFA International of the Season award, a new category created this year.The Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) League of the Season award was given to the Ohangwena Region.It is also a new category and honours the best-run league in the country.The NFA Administrator of the Season Award was given to Rudolf Shaya Mupiri who runs the northern-based Caprivi league, while the NFA Special Contribution award (also new) was given to Willem Hans by NFA acting president John Muinjo.The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) scooped the Media Institution of the Season awards for radio and television, while Boet Matthews of Republikein was named the Print Media Practitioner of the Season.Long-serving Brave Warriors mascot Robbie Savage was also rewarded for his unwavering support to football and especially the national team, as he was named the Supporter of the Season.Savage pocketed N$2 000.MTC also gave awards for the annual NFA Cup tournament, of which Rudolph Bester of Eleven Arrows was named as the Top Goal Scorer (five goals).Arvo Mufeti was the Referee of the Series, while Erastus Shilunga took the Assistant Referee of the Series award.The Team of the Series was SKW, while Immanuel Nawaseb of Orlando Pirates was the best team manager.Helmuth Maletzky, who plays for Orlando Pirates, was the best goalkeeper, while Riaan Cloete, also of Pirates, was named as the Player of the Series.
