Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams has been backed to sweep up all the individual awards following his impressive statistics between the posts for the Brazilians this season.
Williams in his maiden season at Sundowns but has done a remarkable job in the DStv Premiership with 17 clean sheets in 24 appearances while conceding just eight goals.
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SuperSport United and Golden Arrows have been the only teams able to score twice against Williams this season while TS Galaxy, Sekhukhune United, Chippa United, and Royal AM all beat him once with the rest of the PSL crew failing.
Those 17 clean sheets have meant he matches the PSL record for most clean sheets achieved by Moeneeb Josephs at Orlando Pirates in the 2009/10 season when Williams Okpara was the goalkeeper coach.
"We have to give honour to whom honour is due," Williams Okpara tells KickOff in a no holds barred interview.
"We, as goalkeepers are undermined when it comes to these awards and this boy Williams has done a great job and must be recognised.
"What is honestly supposed to do to win the Player of the Season award without any questions?
"Do you want him not to concede a single goal all season?
"It is high time people start recognising the input of keepers in the team because the result of a game is dependent on a goalkeeper, yet some people don't remember that until a keeper makes a mistake.
"Strikers always miss chances, but a keeper's mistake is suicidal.
"Williams deserves to win all awards in this league this season because there is no one who has done a better job than him," says Okpara.
In the 2012/13 season, Khune was the Player of the Season with only 12 clean sheets in the league, and just like Williams also won the league.
"I wish I knew what criteria is used for these awards because I have seen players being selected for man of the match awards just because they scored a goal or two, yet they were not the best on the field on the day.
"People are blinded by the one who scores a goal forgetting those who do damage control.
"It is high time we start appreciating other players on the field as well instead of those who score goals.
"This mentality of ignoring goalkeepers when it comes to awards must stop.
"If the keeper has done such an incredible job like Williams, then he should take all the awards and not only the goalkeeper award.
"For me, Williams has done something that will be difficult to do again in terms of these numbers that he is sitting on.
"To have 17 clean sheets in 24 games is incredible especially considering he has conceded only eight most if not all which were not his fault.
"The argument about how good his defence is doesn't hold water because even for strikers they are also dependent on the service that they get.
"Let's applaud what is good because what he has achieved is not easy.
"Even with that good defence that some will say he has, he is the one that must still organise it.
"Williams has also done the job for Bafana Bafana by captaining the team to qualification for the AFCON so what more should he do?
"When Collins Mbesuma had the best scoring numbers ever in this league nobody questioned it because he is a striker and now a goalkeeper has done the same let us not question it.
"Let us give Williams all the awards.
"Case Closed," says Okpara.
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