KEY POINTS:
The dream run of All Whites soccer striker Shane Smeltz continued on Monday when he was named male player of the year at New Zealand Football's annual awards dinner in Auckland.
The Wellington Phoenix forward is in hot goalscoring form, sitting near the top of the A-League golden boot standings and firing home four goals in his last three matches for the All Whites.
They included a goal in New Zealand's 2-1 win over Vanuatu last Saturday.
There will be little time to celebrate for Smeltz, who has recovered from the thigh injury he picked up in Port Vila, because the All Whites are in camp preparing to play Vanuatu again in Wellington on Wednesday night.
There may be a congratulatory nod or two at training because fellow All Whites Ben Sigmund and Jacob Spoonley both picked up awards of their own, while coach Ricki Herbert was rewarded for his work with the national team and Wellington Phoenix with the coach of the year award.
Sigmund was named New Zealand Football Championship player of the year and Spoonley young player of the year.
Award winners:
Men's player of the year: Shane Smeltz (Wellington Phoenix).
Women's player: Rebecca Smith (Sunnana SK, Sweden).
Young men's player (under-20): Jacob Spoonley (Wellington Phoenix/NZ under-20).
Young women's player (under-20): Abby Erceg (Auckland Football, Football Ferns).
NZFC player: Ben Sigmund (Auckland City).
Coach: Ricki Herbert (All Whites/Wellington Phoenix).
Team: Waitakere United (O-League champions, NZFC minor premiers).
Referee: Peter O'Leary (Hamilton).
- NZPA
