Tai Po coach Lee Chi-kin celebrates with his trophy after being named Coach of the Year.
Source:
https://scmp.com/sport/football/article/3011391/tears-joy-sartori-after-hes-voted-hong-kong-footballer-year Football
Tears of joy for Igor Sartori after he’s voted Hong Kong Footballer of the Year
- The 26-year-old Brazilian wins the award for the first time but wasn’t giving anything away as to where he is headed next season
- Lee Chi-kin, of Tai Po, also the big winner after landing the Coach of the Year award
WoFoo Tai Po's Igor Sartori enjoys the limelight after being voted Hong Kong Football of the Year. Photos: Chan Kin-wa
WoFoo Tai Po striker Igor Sartori was the big winner at the Hong Kong Footballer of the Year awards, but the Brazilian remained tight-lipped on his future amid rumours he will join rivals R&F next season.
The 26-year-old snared four major awards at the annual prize presentation in Kowloon Bay last night.
Apart from winning the main award for helping lead Tai Po to a historic league title, he was also presented with the Players’ Player of the Year award, the Most Popular Player award and the Best 11 of the season award.
But Sartori, who completed his second season with Tai Po, was not giving anything away on where he will be heading next season, preferring to talk about his performance the past season.
“This was an amazing season, the best season in my career so far,” said Sartori, who shed tears of joy. “I did a good job to help my team [win the championship] and this is the most important award I have won.”
Sartori said Tai Po’s 2-1 victory over title challengers Kwoon Chung Southern in late April was the most memorable match for him this season.
Hong Kong’s best 11 at the Hong Kong Footballer of the Year awards.
“It was a tough match played under difficult conditions and when we thought our title hopes were slipping away at 1-1, I scored the winning goal towards the end.
“It was such an important win for us,” he said.
Tai Po coach Lee Chi-kin also enjoyed the limelight after being voted Coach of the Year.
Five Tai Po players were selected in the Best 11 for the season.
Happy Valley’s Wong Shuk-fan (centre) is the first winner of the women’s Footballer of the Year award.
Lee, who also won the same award with YFCMD in 2015, said he felt happier this time as it came with the Premier League championship. YFCMD only finished fifth that season.
Youth Players of the Year went to Pegasus midfielder Wu Chun-ming and forward Cheng Siu-kwan of Lee Man. Cheng appealed for more support for young players so that they can have more playing opportunities.
Women’s Footballer of the Year, set up for the first time, went to Wong Shuk-fan of Happy Valley. The striker scored seven goals this season, helping her club win the league championship.