Vihiga Bullets’ defender Potipher Odhiambo is the 2020/21 Betika National Super League season's Most Valuable Player.
Odhiambo was also named the defender of the year.
Odhiambo fired the Vihiga-based side to a maiden top-flight promotion after they wrapped up the season in second place behind champions, Talanta.
So impressive was he that he was handed his first-ever call-up to the Emerging Stars squad who flew the country's flag at the 2021 Cecafa U23 Championships in Ethiopia in June.
“This is incredible. I'm short of words. Let me thank my teammates, the technical bench and the entire management who played a crucial role in my performances and that of the entire team,” said Odhiambo
FC Talanta head coach Ken Kenyatta struggled to fight back tears of joy after bagging the coach of the year award.
It was a sumptuous harvest for the Communication Authority of Kenya-sponsored side who also scooped the coveted team of the year accolade. Their industrious midfielder, Anthony Gicho was named the best among his peers.
They most certainly merited all the limelight. Talanta defied all the hurdles presented by a coronavirus-plagued season to win the league with a massive 72 points, eight clear of their closest rivals, Bullets.
But all eyes — especially those of top-flight coaches — will firmly be trained on Kisumu Allstars' budding forward Alfred Tanui who nudged aside his teammate Alvin Ochieng to land the young player of the year.
After a splendid season with Migori Youth, Gideon Ogweno had hoped to lay claim to the golden gloves but things turned out differently as APS Bomet’s Bonphas Munyasa denied him the glory.
Mwatate United's Cornelius Juma won the golden boot after blasting the back of the net 21 times this season.
Edwin Bobiya was named the best referee after beating Lucy Juma and Wycliffe Itolondo while Oliver Lime scooped assistant referee of the year gong.
Nairobi-based Kibera Black Stars emerged triumphant in the fair play category.
Winners
Assistant Referee of the Year
Oliver Lime – Winner
Walter Maritim – 1st Runners-Up
Irene Masha – 2nd Runners-Up
Center Referee of the Year
Edwin Bobiya – Winner
Lucy Juma – 1st Runners-Up
Wycliffe Itolondo – 2nd Runners-Up
Fair Play Award
Kibera Black Stars FC – Winner
Young Player of the Year
Alfred Tanui (Kisumu All-stars) – Winner
Brian Michira (Shabana)– 1st Runners-Up
Alvin Ochieng (Kisumu All-stars)– 2nd Runners-Up
Defender of the Year
Portipher Odhiambo – Winner
Nichodemus Malika – 1st Runners-Up
Chris Wilunda – 2nd Runners-Up
Midfielder of the Year
Antony Gicho – Winner
Bonface Kweyu – 1st Runners-Up
Brian Michira – 2nd Runners-Up
Golden Glove
Bonphas Munyasa – Winner
Gedion Ogweno– 1st Runners-Up
Wilson Mwangi – 2nd Runners-Up
Golden Boot
Cornelius Juma – Winner
Jackson Oketch – 1st Runners-Up
Samuel Ndung’u – 1st Runners-Up
Coach of the Year
Ken Kenyatta – Winner
Edward Manoah – 1st Runners-Up
Benedict Simiyu – 2nd Runners-Up
Team of the Year
FC Talanta – Winner
Most Valuable Player
Portipher Odhiambo – Winner
