Wanyama named Saints’ most outstanding personality
Kenyan international midfielder Victor Wanyama has expressed his delight after receiving the President choice award at the annual Southampton awards dinner night on Wednesday evening.
The Harambee Stars captain was selected for and awarded the gong by the club’s honorary President Terry Paine MBE, who doubles up as an analyst at South African based Pay TV channel SuperSport.
This award is offered to the club’s outstanding personality on the season, for his efforts both on and off the pitch.
“The awards fills me with satisfaction. I am honoured and delighted for the recognition and motivated to work even harder in the future,” the midfielder told Nairobi News.
This is the second award within a week for the 23 year old, coming days after he scooped the Australian Supporters 2014/2015 Player of the season award.
The Kenyan however missed out on another award at the gala he had been shortlisted for, losing the Vision Accendo Goal of the season award to Irishman Shane Long.
TEAM’S BEST GOAL
Wanyama’s 50 yard curling shot that found its way into the back of the net during a league match against Hull City earlier this season had been shortlisted among the team’s best goal this term.
Meanwhile, skipper José Fonte was the big winner at the Awards as he bagged both the Fans’ Player and Players’ Player of the Season awards.
Fonte follows in the footsteps of former captain Adam Lallana, who won both awards following his efforts during the 2013/14 campaign. The defender started all but one of Southampton’s games in the Premier League, amassing 44 appearances in total for Ronald Koeman’s side this season.
The captain led by example throughout the campaign, playing his part in keeping 15 clean sheets and helping Saints to their highest-ever Premier League finish – whatever the result against Manchester City on Sunday.
Wanyama is expected back in Kenya for a six week holiday on Monday morning, hours after the lapse of the 2014/2015 English Premier League season. He will however link up with the national team for the start of the 2017 Africa Nations Cup qualifiers set for the first week in June.