PETALING JAYA (30 Oct 2012) – Kelantan striker Norshahrul Idlan Talaha made it a historic hat-trick of ‘double’ titles when he again emerged victorious in the 100PLUS-Astro Arena-FAM National Football Awards 2012 this afternoon.
The Terengganu-born striker had won his first double in 2010 with wins in the Best Striker and Most Valuable Player award after moving from UPB-MyTeam. And the 26-year-old followed it up with his second double last year following a late surge in the second half of the season.
And this year, with his two goals in the final of the Malaysia Cup, there was no doubt as to who is the king inside the six-yard box.
“The win could not have come at a better time than when I’m expecting the delivery of my first born,” said Norshahrul. “So I’m very happy with these double awards. I have to thank everyone who voted for me and of course to 100PLUS for their continued support of Malaysian footballers.”
In the meantime, Kelantan goalkeeper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat cemented his position as the national No. 1 when he picked up his third Best Goalkeeper award in three years.
“At the moment, my focus is with the national team for the AFF Suzuki Cup, so winning this award for the third time in a row is validation of all the hardwork that I’ve put in through the season,” added Khairul Fahmi.
Other than Norshahrul and Khairul, the Kelantan FA also took home the award for the Best Football Association.
The other big winner on the day was ATM where apart from winning the accolade for the Best Fan Club, they also had in Mohd Aidil Zafuan Abdul Radzak winning the Best Defender and Best Coach for B. Sathiananthan. Striker Marlon Alex James picked up the award for the Best Foreign Player.
Incidentally, both Aidil and Sathiananthan last won the awards in 2010 when they were with Negeri Sembilan and Kelantan respectively.
“I have to thank my players and the Armed Forces set-up for this award. It is the same as the first time when I won this award (in 2010), teamwork is the key to success and it must be supplemented with good management,” added Sathiananthan.
“I’m honoured to have worked with great set-ups, first Kelantan and now with the Armed Forces.”
The other winners on the day were Safiq Rahim from Selangor for the Best Midfielder award and Mohd Rozaimi Abdul Rahman from Sabah for the Most Promising Player category.
The award for the Best Club went to Sime Darby FC while Mohd Nafeez Abdul Wahab won for Best Referee.
At the same ceremony too, special awards were given out to the Ministry of Education in recognition of their contribution to youth development through the Minister of Education League Cup and also to Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Minhat, Malaysia’s Raja Bola who passed away recently.
100PLUS-ASTRO ARENA-FAM NATIONAL FOOTBALL AWARDS 2012 LIST OF WINNERS
BEST GOALKEEPER – Khairul Fahmi Che Mat (KELANTAN)
BEST DEFENDER – Mohd Aidil Zafuan Abdul Radzak (ATM)
BEST MIDFIELDER – Safiq Rahim (SELANGOR)
BEST STRIKER – Norshahrul Idlan Talaha (KELANTAN)
BEST COACH – B. Sathianathan (ATM)
MOST PROMISING PLAYER – Mohd Rozaimi Abdul Rahman (SABAH)
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER – Norshahrul Idlan Talaha (KELANTAN)
BEST FOREIGN PLAYER – Marlon Alex James (ATM)
BEST REFEREE – Mohd Nafeez Abdul Wahab
BEST FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION – Kelantan
BEST FOOTBALL CLUB – Sime Darby FC
BEST FAN CLUB – ATM
