Nelsen, who captained the All Whites, and marshalled their defences, through a successful World Cup playoff against Bahrain saw off strong challenges from another playoff hero Mark Paston and 2008 player of the year Shane Smeltz who continued to torment A-League defences throughout 2009.
For masterminding the first World Cup qualification since 1982, coach Ricki Herbert picked up the coaching gong, while the All Whites claimed the Team of the Year prize edging out the New Zealand U-17 side that became the first kiwi side to reach the second round of a World Cup and Auckland City who finished fifth at the FIFA Club World Cup.
Auckland City’s exploits were recognised with a special NZF Merit Award as were the four kiwi match officials – Mike Hester, Peter O’Leary, Jan Hintz and Brent Best – who have been appointed as referees and assistants at the FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Hester was also named referee of the year while Best picked up the assistant referee award.
The All Whites’ impact also spread to the junior awards where Chris Wood’s breakthrough year – he made his Premiership and All Whites debut in 2009 – was rewarded with a second straight Nike Young Men’s Player of the Year award.
There were also repeat winners among the Football Ferns as Ali Riley and Rosie White held onto their respective Nike Women’s Player and Young Women’s Player of the Year awards.
Riley was rewarded for a standout season for the North American W-League champions Pali Blues which eventually earned her a contract in the 2010 WPS League, while age-group starlet White graduated into the ranks of the senior side making her debut aged just 15.
Domestically, the national league form of Canterbury United’s Aaron Clapham (New Zealand Football Championship) and Kirsty Yallop (National Women’s League) was honoured while Seule Soromon and Rebecca Tegg collected the golden boot silverware.
The winners of eight of the awards were decided by votes from a broad panel comprised of national team and national league coaches, former internationals, administrators and football media.
The time period covered by the 2009 NZF Awards was from January to December 2009 with the exception of NZFC awards which relate to the 2009-10 season.
2009 NZF Awards Winners
Team of the Year
All Whites (2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, FIFA World Cup Qualifiers)
Coach of the Year
Ricki Herbert (All Whites)
Nike Men’s Player of the Year
Ryan Nelsen (All Whites & Blackburn Rovers)
Nike Women’s Player of the Year
Ali Riley (Football Ferns & Stanford University/Pali Blues)
Nike Young Men’s Player of the Year (U-20)
Chris Wood (All Whites & West Bromwich Albion)
Nike Young Women’s Player of the Year (U-20)
Rosie White (Football Ferns & Three Kings United)
Referee of the Year
Michael Hester
Assistant Referee of the Year
Brent Best
NZFC Player of the Year: 2009-10 season
Aaron Clapham (Canterbury United)
Lion Foundation Women’s League Player of the Year
Kirsty Yallop (Auckland Football)
NZFC Golden Boot 2009-2010
Seule Soromon (Young Heart Manawatu)
Lion Foundation NWL Golden Boot
Rebecca Tegg (Auckland Football)