Andrew Durante wins top Phoenix award

Captain Andrew Durante has won Wellington Phoenix's premier award after being named player of the year at the A-League soccer club's annual awards last night.

Durante capped a superb season, during which he has played every minute of every game to date, by being named the club's best player.

The award was decided by a five-man panel comprising coaches Ricki Herbert, Luciano Trani and Jonathan Gould, club chief executive Tony Pignata and football operations manager Mal Impiombato.

The 27-year-old centre back, who was last week called into the Australian squad for an Asian Cup qualifying international against Indonesia, prevented striker Paul Ifill from making a clean sweep of the awards.

The Englishman snaring the remaining four titles on offer - players' player of the year, members' player of the year, media player of the year and golden boot, the latter for his 12 goals during the 27-round regular season.

Herbert said Durante thoroughly deserved the top award.

"Paul Ifill certainly grabbed the attention and the headlines but Andrew's work on defence was top-shelf throughout the season. Scoring goals up one end is great but counts for nothing if you can't keep the opposition out at the other end.

"In that regard Andrew has been outstanding. His partnerships with Jon McKain and Ben Sigmund at the heart of the back four have been superb and his leadership on and off the field integral to all the success the team has enjoyed this season."

Voting in the player of the year category was close.

The award was decided throughout the season by a panel using a top-three voting system on a 3-2-1 basis.

The final tally saw Durante poll 117 votes, seven more than midfielder Vince Lia. with Ifill third with 101 votes.

The awards function was a minor distraction for the Phoenix players, who leave today for Sydney where they play the preliminary final against Sydney FC on Saturday.

- NZPA