Canha named the FNB Player of the Year
CARLOS CANHA, Rovers’ regular goal magician from Madeira, has won a prize worth £1,000 to share between himself and his club.
After the final whistle of last night’s Stranger Cup final at the Track, Canha received his reward from Geoff Gavey, managing director of FNB, which has sponsored the award of £500 in Intersport vouchers to both Canha and his club to sit alongside its backing of the Priaulx League.
Canha, 25, has been a revelation for the two-time league champions after arriving at the club late last summer.
In 20 league games for Rovers he netted 19 times, while producing many, many assists with his unselfish and perceptive passing.
Rovers coach Jez Robin has long known he has come across a diamond in a player who is so low maintenance and so professional in his attitude.
‘He has been a breath of fresh air, really,’ said Robin.
‘He’s a really talented player without the ego that normally comes with it.
‘He wants to work for the team and everyone at the club loves him.’
The season was four league games old when Rovers finally got clearance to play the ‘No. 10’ and, once in the side, he has kept on scoring, vying with Sam Hall as its main creative force.
But it was the Madeiran’s often crucial goals that ultimately made the difference in another terrific title race.
One such strike was the superb side-of-the-foot flick he produced to sink rivals St Martin’s at Port Soif late in the season.
In defender Tom Strawbridge, Rovers had another performer who was on the sports desk’s shortlist for the award, as was the Vale Rec centre-back Damien Larkin, St Martin’s defender Damian Le Tocq and North midfielder Luke Mollet.
With five goals in the cups, Canha’s total goal tally was 24 going into last night’s final game of a very long campaign.
‘This award is something for a player to aim for in terms of their consistency over the season and we are confident that Rob Batiste and the judges at the Guernsey Press sports department have chosen wisely,’ said Gavey.
Andy Robert, director of GFLM, paid tribute to the sponsor: ‘Geoff Gavey and FNB are great partners for us to work with and their continued interest in our top tier of league football is hugely important.
‘We think this award is exciting and the fact that an individual and their club share the spoils is a win for all.’
