Carlos claims Johnny Warren Medal

Costa Rican star Carlos Hernandez has taken out the Hyundai A-League’s highest individual accolade, the Johnny Warren Medal, at the Hyundai A-League 2009/10 Awards Night at The Ivy in Sydney tonight.

Costa Rican star Carlos Hernandez has taken out the Hyundai A-League’s highest individual accolade, the Johnny Warren Medal, at the Hyundai A-League 2009/10 Awards Night at The Ivy in Sydney tonight.

Voted on by his playing peers throughout the Hyundai A-League 2009/10 season, Hernandez blitzed the field polling 673 votes ahead of Gold Coast United’s Shane Smeltz (431) and Wellington Phoenix import Paul Ifill (311).

Melbourne Victory Coach Ernie Merrick was named the Hyundai A-League Coach of the Year, as voted by his fellow Hyundai A-League coaches. This is the second time that Merrick collected the Coach of the Year award after winning the 2006/07 trophy.

Archie Thompson completed Melbourne Victory’s award haul by claiming the Solo Goal of the Year for his Round 16 goal in the 68th minute against Gold Coast United at Etihad Stadium.

The NAB Young Player of the Year Award went to Brisbane Roar’s Tommy Oar, who had the unanimous vote of the expert panel following his impressive performances throughout the Hyundai A-League 2009/10 season.

Smeltz picked up the Reebok Golden Boot award as the Hyundai A-League’s top scorer for the second year in a row with 19 goals, seven clear of his closest rivals.

Also for the second successive season, Adelaide United’s Eugene Galekovic took out the Goalkeeper of the Year award seeing off stiff competition from Central Coast Mariner’s custodian Danny Vukovic and Clint Bolton from Sydney FC.

Having claimed the Premiership on the last day of the season Sydney FC took out the Fair Play award for accruing the least number of yellow and red cards and Strebre Delovski was named the Zurich Referee of the Year.