PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Exciting Swansea City striker Jason Scotland was named the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation’s Footballer-of-the-Year at their awards ceremony earlier this week.
The 30-year old national striker was outstanding for the Welsh club, stroking in 24 goals in all competitions during the just concluded English league Championship.
He finished as Swansea’s leading goal-scorer and his form propelled them to an eighth place finish in the league and also placed them on the brink of an FA Cup quarter-final spot before being eliminated by Premiership Fulham. Scotland was joined by Under-20 captain Leston Paul who copped the junior Player-of-the-Year’ award while Yugoslav coach Zoran Vranes was named Coach-of-the-Year for his success with the Under-20 squad. Vranes, who in the past has coached local professional club Joe Public along with T&T, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Antigua & Barbuda, led the young Soca Warriors to the Super League and knockout double in their first year in the tournament. The Under–20 team was using the Super League as part of its preparations for the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship which was held here earlier this year.
Vranes lauded Paul whom he described a true team leader and destined for greatness.
“He definitely deserves all the credit and praise he gets. He is very nice person, great player and there is nothing that I can say bad about the guy,” said Vranes, who was recently appointed assistant coach to Russell Latapy for the remainder of T&T’s World Cup qualifying campaign.
“Which ever way he chooses to go in life, whether its football or academically I know he will be succeed.”
Kayla Taylor captured the women’s Youth Player-of-the-Year title while Akhella Mollon captured the women’s senior version.
