The Malta FA will roll out the red carpet this evening to honour the stand-out performers of the 2014/15 season during the annual awards ceremony, being held at the Mediterranean Conference Centre.

A multitude of prizes are up for grabs, including the MFA footballer of the year award which is regarded as the most prestigious individual honour in domestic football.

The award will have a new winner as Ryan Fenech, the former Valletta captain who has signed for Balzan, has failed to make the shortlist this year.

The five contenders are all Malta internationals as Hibernians trio Andrei Agius, Andrew Cohen and Clayton Failla are joined by Birkirkara’s Paul Fenech and Zach Muscat.

This season’s awards contest is shaping up as another private affair between Hibernians, the 2014/15 champions, and Birkirkara, who secured the FA Trophy after beating the Paolites 2-0 in the final last month.

Of the five finalists for the 2014/15 MFA footballer of the year accolade, three have already won it before, namely Cohen and Failla, who are both vying for their third success and Fenech, the winner two years ago.

Paul Zammit, who has moved from Birkirkara to Valletta, is in with a chance of retaining the coach of the year award but he faces stiff competition from Branko Nisevic who guided Hibs to the Premier League title last season.

Oliver Spiteri, who master-minded Balzan’s first ever quali-fication for a European com-petition, is the other candidate for the coach award.

Balzan have another nominee in Bojan Kaljevic as the Montenegrin striker is in contention for the best foreign player award. He is up against two strong candidates in Hibernians strikers Jorginho and Luis Edison ‘Tarabai’, the latter currently playing on loan with South Korean side Seoul E-Land.

The two Brazilian forwards finished the season as the Premier League’s joint top scorers with 25 goals.

Valletta, runners-up to Hibs last season, have only one nominee in the senior categories, Hamza Barry. The Gambian midfielder, who is unlikely to stay with the Citizens, has been shortlisted for the young player of the year award along with Hibs midfielder Johann Bezzina and Ryan Camenzuli, the Birkirkara wing-back.

With Hibs completing the double in youth and women’s football, Jurgen Degabriele is seen as a strong contender for the best youth league player while Dorianne Theuma and Shona Zammit are in the race for the women’s prize.

The best goal of the season will also be decided this evening via televoting.

The MFA Awards will be broadcast live on TVM2, starting at 8.30pm.

The nominees

Footballer of the year: A. Agius (Hibs), A. Cohen (Hibs), C. Failla (Hibs), P. Fenech (Birkirkara), Z. Muscat (Birkirkara).

Coach of the year: B. Nisevic (Hibs), O. Spiteri (Balzan), P. Zammit (Birkirkara).

Young player of the year: H. Barry (Valletta), J. Bezzina (Hibs), R. Camenzuli (Birkirkara).

Foreign player of the year: Jorginho (Hibs), E. Dos Santos (Hibs), B. Kaljevic (Balzan).

First division best player: A. Laudisi (Pembroke), J.M. Ruiz Manuel (Fgura), P.P. Sammut (Gudja).

Second division best player: F. Muda (Għargħur), A.J. Obade (Senglea Athletic), Timothy Thomas (Senglea Athletic).

Third division best player: D. Sytnik (Marsaskala), M.S. Telessi (Sta Luċija), M. Zammit (Kirkop).

Women’s league best player: S. Farrugia (Birkirkara), D. Theuma (Hibs), S. Zammit (Hibs).

Best youth league player: J. Brincat (Mosta), L. Cremona (Valletta). J. Degabriele (Hibs).

GFA player of the year: C. Antunes (Nadur), D. Bogdanovic (Xewkija), J. Camilleri (Xewkija).

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