Soccer: All Whites add to hefty haul of awards

All Whites coach Ricki Herbert. Photo / Dean Purcell

The awards just keep coming for the World Cup All Whites with captain Ryan Nelsen, coach Ricki Herbert and the team winning big at New Zealand Football's awards dinner which was held last night.

Nelsen claimed the Nike-sponsored player of the year award for the sixth time.

His efforts in leading the All Whites and his contribution to his English Premier League club Blackburn Rovers helped him add the 2010 honour to those he won in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2009.

He also picked up the Oceania Football Confederation's player of the year for the second time.

He was matched in that double by Ali Riley who picked up the New Zealand and Oceania player of the year titles.

She won the New Zealand award in 2008 and 2009 and the OFC crown in 2009.

Herbert capped a good week in being named coach of the year.

This week he also won the Wellington coach of the year and the ultimate sportsman of the year honours in the capital.

In the closest-fought contest, England-based Tommy Smith - who played every minute of the World Cup campaign in South Africa - edged two-time winner Chris Wood and rising star Kosta Barbarouses for the young player award.

Olivia Chance's match-winning performance in the Women's Knockout Cup final for Claudelands Rovers and standout showings in the Fifa under-17 women's World Cup earned her the young women's player of the year award ahead of Anna Green and Rosie White, two players already capped at senior level.

The All Whites' unbeaten run at the World Cup won them the team of the year award.

The World Cup performances of Michael Hester and linesman Jan Hintz earned them the respective honours of referee and assistant referee of the year.

Jacqui Stephenson was recognised with a New Zealand Football merit award for her selection as a match official for the upcoming women's World Cup.

Waitakere United's Allan Pearce, the ASB premiership's golden boot - the first New Zealand-born player to achieve that - was also named the premiership's player of the year.