Kitchee’s Ruslan Mingazov scoops Hong Kong player of the year at Top Footballer Awards
- The 31-year-old Turkmenistan international is also named in Best XI of the season and says ‘coming to Hong Kong was the best decision of my career’
- Eastern boss Roberto Losada hails ‘best moment of my life’ after snagging Coach of the Year award ahead of treble-winning rival Alex Chu Chi-kwong
Kitchee winger Ruslan Mingazov was named as the player of the season at Tuesday’s Hong Kong Top Footballer Awards, after helping to guide his team to another treble-winning campaign.
Mingazov, who is the first player from Turkmenistan to ever feature in the Hong Kong Premier League, was also named in the Best XI of the Year at the ceremony in Kowloon Bay, and said the honours were “an important moment” in his career.
“I cannot imagine winning these in my first season, it was an unbelievable season,” the 31-year-old said. “Coming to play in Hong Kong was the best decision in my career.”
Mingazov scored 17 goals in the league to claim the golden boot alongside AFC Champions League legend Dejan Damjanovic – who has called time on his two-and-a-half year spell at Kitchee – and Everton Camargo of Lee Man.
“Next season, we will concentrate in the AFC Champions League now that we are going to play home and away. I hope it will be interesting, and it will be a chance to show our skills in the tournament.”
Alex Chu Chi-kwong, however, missed out on the Coach of the Year Award, despite leading the Bluebirds to the Senior Shield, Premier League and FA Cup trophies.