Rayners’ Stellar Season Snub: Why the Mamelodi Sundowns Star Deserved Footballer of the Season Nomination
By the Numbers: Rayners’ Dominant Premiership Campaign
In Mamelodi Sundowns’ historic eighth consecutive Premiership title win, one player stood out statistically more than any other – yet shockingly missed nomination for South Africa’s top individual football honor. Rayners delivered a masterclass season with 14 goals and 9 assists in just 26 matches, outperforming teammates Mofokeng (5 goals, 8 assists) and Makgalwa (4 goals, 11 assists) by significant margins.
The Tactical Impact Beyond Statistics
For those who argue football can’t be reduced to numbers, Rayners’ case remains compelling. The versatile attacker established himself as Sundowns’ primary frontline threat, often playing ahead of established stars like Peter Shalulile, Arthur Sales, and Tashreeq Matthews. His intelligent movement created space for teammates, with Ribeiro particularly benefiting from Rayners’ decoy runs in coach Miguel Cardoso’s sophisticated attacking system.
Award Selection Controversy
The exclusion becomes even more puzzling when considering the selection criteria. While the Players’ Player award focuses solely on Premiership performance, the Footballer of the Season honor evaluates contributions across all PSL competitions. Rayners shone brightly in cup competitions too, notably scoring 4 goals in 4 matches to propel Sundowns to the Carling Knockout final, where they narrowly lost 2-1 to Magesi FC in Bloemfontein.
Complete Forward Play Recognized Everywhere Except Nominations
Rayners’ season represented the perfect blend of statistical production and tactical importance. Whether leading the line directly or creating opportunities through selfless movement, the Sundowns star delivered when it mattered most. His absence from the Footballer of the Season shortlist raises questions about whether award selectors fully appreciate modern forward play that extends beyond traditional goal-scoring metrics.
As South African football reflects on another thrilling season, Rayners’ campaign deserves recognition as one of the most complete individual performances in recent PSL history – nomination or not.
Source: Times Live