NK Maribor attacking midfielder Agim Ibraimi has been voted as Macedonian Player of the Year for a second time, joining Galatasaray AŞ’s Goran Pandev and 1. FSV Mainz 05 defender Nikolce Noveski as the only multiple recipients of the award.
The 26-year-old helped his team win the 2013/14 Slovenian title before featuring in the UEFA Champions League group stage, where he scored in Maribor’s 1-1 draw at home against Chelsea FC. “I am very happy and proud that I am being honoured in my country,” said Ibraimi, who finished ahead of FYR Macedonia team-mates Aleksandar Trajkovski and Stefan Ristovski in the poll conducted by the Football Federation of Macedonia (FFM) international department, coaching committee and regional associations. Previously Player of the Year in 2012, Ibraimi is only third footballer in the Macedonian history to receive the prize more than once alongside Noveski (2005, 2013) and five-time winner Pandev (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010).
Meanwhile, 29-year-old attacking midfielder Borce Manevski was recognised as the best player in the Macedonian First League for his impressive displays during FK Rabotnicki’s double-winning 2013/14 campaign. Now at Chainat Hornbill FC in Thailand, he topped the poll of fans conducted on the FFM website ahead of his former Rabotnicki team-mate Blagoja Todorovski and FK Renova’s Izair Emini.
Rabotnicki’s Igor Angelovski was named Coach of the Year for guiding the capital side to the double, while FK Vardar’s Macedonian Under-21 international winger Jasir Asani, 19, secured the Young Player of the Year award.
For the third year running, and the sixth time in her career, FYR Macedonia captain midfielder Natasha Andonova was crowned as Women’s Player of the Year. “It’s a wonderful feeling to once again receive this prize”, said Andonova, who helped 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam reach the 2013/14 UEFA Women’s Champions League semi-finals, scoring three goals. “This recognition will serve as a great incentive for me to continue to perform to the best of my abilities for my country and club.”
The FFM’s referee of the year award went to Dimitar Meckarovski.