MVFC Blog

Thank you to everyone who voted in the MVFC Awards!

Voting is now closed. In two of the categories, clear winners emerged, but in the third, it was a very tight race.

Without further ado, here’s who you voted the best Melbourne Victory players in 2007/08:

Best Melbourne Victory Player 2007/08: Michael Theoklitos

Percentage of votes: 22.1%
Runners-up: Sebastian Ryall (19.6%), Rodrigo Vargas (19%), Archie Thompson (16%)
Total votes: 163

While the other two categories both had clear favourites, the award for Best Player proved a much tighter affair. In the end, it was the Victory #1 who earned the most votes, narrowly outclassing Sebastian Ryall, Rodrigo Vargas and Archie Thompson.

With Adrian Leijer gone and Daniel Piorkowski injured for most of the season, Michael Theoklitos certainly didn’t enjoy as strong a defensive cover as last year. But while the team around him was struggling, Theoklitos was in fine form and unlucky not to be picked for any of Pim Verbeek’s Socceroos training camps.

Due to some technological mishaps over at the site that’s hosting the poll, the results for Best Melbourne Victory Player are currently unavailable.

Best Young Melbourne Victory Player 2007/08: Sebastian Ryall

Percentage of votes: 56%
Runner-up: Kaz Patafta (27.3%)
Total votes: 150

Melbourne signed Sebastian Ryall early on in the season to cover the loss of Adrian Leijer and Ljubo Milicevic. In his short time with the Victory, the Under 20s captain has emerged as one of the club’s most exciting young prospects - and, according to you, Melbourne’s best young player.

For a player of his age, Ryall has a remarkable ability to keep his cool in tight places. A solid defender with a capacity to push forward and boost the attack, Ryall also has valuable experience playing in Asia with the Under 20s, experience which is sure to make him better prepared for the Asian Champions League.

Click for the full results.

Best New Recruit 2007/08: Carlos Hernández

Percentage of votes: 48.1%
Runner-up: Sebastian Ryall (27.5%)
Total votes: 131

Carlos Hernández came to the Victory with a bucket-load of expectations awaiting him. He was to be the replacement for Fred, a driving influence behind the twin strike-force of Archie Thompson and Danny Allsopp. But Hernández turned out to be no Fred, many fans disappointed by the Costa Rican’s lack of fitness at the start of the season.

In the latter half of the season, however, Hernández started to come into his own. Never the fastest player on the pitch, Hernández is able to engineer attacks through pin-point passes. In his most emphatic performance of the season, Hernández subbed on during Melbourne’s New Year’s Eve match against the Central Coast Mariners, promptly setting up two goals. Concerns about fitness and weight are gone now as fans look forward to Hernández dominating the Asian Champions League.

Click here for the full results.