NEROCA lead AIFF awards list

KOLKATA: If finishing narrowly behind champions Minerva Punjab FC in the recently concluded I League was a disappointment, Manipur-based debutants NEROCA FC got the due recognition of their hard work as they dominated the All Indian Football Federation (AIFF) Awards held in Chandigarh on Thursday. Four of the nine awards went to NEROCA, who are the first club from Manipur to take part in the premier competition.
Apart from coach Gift Raikhan being adjudged the best coach for the Syed Abdul Rahim Award, the Imphal-based club’s Liberian defender Varney Kallon was named the best defender for Jarnail Singh Award.As the first-time organizers of the top-tier league, it is also laudable that NEROCA bagged the Best Organiser Award. They also bagged the Fairplay Award.
THE AWARDS LIST
Best Goalkeeper: Shilton Paul (Mohun Bagan)
Jarnail Singh Award for Best Defender: Varney Kallon (NEROCA FC)
Best Midfielder: Soosairaj Michael (Chennai City FC)
Best Forward: Chencho Gyeltshen (Minerva Punjab FC)
Highest Scorer: Dipanda Dicka (Mohun Bagan)
Best Emerging Player (U-22): Samuel Lalmuanpuia (Shillong Lajong FC)
Syed Abdul Rahim Award for Best Coach: Gift Raikhan (NEROCA FC)
Best Match Organiser: NEROCA FC
Fairplay: NEROCA FC