Amakhosi captain Jimmy Tau’s exemplary performances throughout the 2010 – 2011 season saw him pick up the coveted Player of the Year Prize at the clubs end of season awards function on Wednesday evening.

Tau missed just one game during the 2010 – 2011 season as he was suspended when Chiefs took on Vasco Da Gama in an Absa Premiership game back in March, l he featured in 39 of Chiefs 40 Absa Premiership and Cup games 38 of which he started.

After collecting his award an emotional Tau said of the last campaign to kaizerchiefs.com, “personally it was one of my best seasons yet and I can attribute that to the support I received from the coach.

He did his best to try and motivate me and the responsibility as captain was on me to lift the team, I can only direct credit for me winning this award to the coach and my teammates.”

The 2010 – 2011 season which was Tau’s sixth as a Chiefs player since joining the club from their arch rivals Orlando Pirates at the start of the 2005 – 2006 campaign was a remarkable one for the Chiefs skipper in addition to missing just one game he also managed to find the back of the net three times.

Throughout the season Tau showed his versatility as a player displayed his ability to act as a wing back as well as in his usual role as a right back the skipper credited the fact that he was willing to improve on his the lesser aspects of his game that allowed him to reach the heights that he did.

As he said, “one of the areas where the coach thought that I could improve in was helping out in attack.

He thought that offensively I could help out more, I am grateful everything worked and the training we did throughout the season helped me also improve the physical side of my game which allowed me to attack and defend.

The support I received from my teammates helped me step up a gear, and now my hope is that as a team we get better in the new season.”

With the award as Chiefs player of the season came a cash sweetener of R90 000 as well as a brand new Nissan Qashqai according to the Chiefs skipper winning the prize did catch him unawares, “I came to the awards not expecting to win anything and I was ready to congratulate the winner. So I have no idea how I will spend the money.”