Melbourne Victory skipper Kevin Muscat has marked an extraordinary season by being named captain of the Professional Players Association’s Hyundai A-League Team of the Season.
The 36-year-old, who endured a difficult start to the season when he tore his hamstring in the first round, has been at the heart of another excellent season from Melbourne, which finished second in the Hyundai A-League premiership and is favoured to win the championship when its hosts Sydney in Saturday’s Grand Final.
He has won selection as one of four defenders for the peer-voted team and is joined by Melbourne team-mates Matthew Kemp, Carlos Hernandez and Archie Thompson in the first XI.
“Being recognised by your fellow professionals in this way is a tremendous honour,” Muscat said.
“When your peers you compete against every week show this respect for your efforts throughout the season it’s very special.”
Eugene Galekovic won the nod as goalkeeper, while Muscat is joined in the centre of defence by Sydney’s Simon Colosimo, with Kemp and Central Coast’s Dean Heffernan filling the full back roles.
Hernandez is joined in a three -man midfield by Gold Coast’s marquee signing Jason Culina and Newcastle captain Matt Thompson.
The three-pronged attack consists of Thompson, Golden Boot winner Shane Smeltz and influential Sydney attacker Alex Brosque.
The five-man bench consists of Mariners stopper Danny Vukovic, Newcastle defender Nikolai Topor-Stanley, Sydney captain Steve Corica, Brisbane youngster Tommy Oar and Wellington’s import Paul Ifill.
PFA chief executive Brendan Schwab said that the only player in the team who has not represented their country at senior level in the team was Vukovic and that was a measure of the experience of the team selected.
“It’s an experienced side with a combined 272 full caps in the squad,” Schwab said.
“Eight of the ten A-League clubs have also been represented which indicates the evenness in the sides that were competing for finals football this season.”
Meanwhile, Hernandez has been awarded the Football Media Association (FMA) of Australia-s inaugural A-League player of the Year.
Hernandez, who took out the Johnny Warren Medal last month, won the media’s nod with 83 points, 23 clear of Smeltz.
“We believe that as the A-League has developed so too should a strong and representative association of football media writers, broadcasters and multi-media professionals,” FMA Chairman Steve Dettre said.
“This award is a reflection of a shared view by our members, that skill, flair and goals should always be the focus of the nation’s premier football competition.”
