The Canadian Premier League announced on Thursday the five players who have been nominated for the 2022 Player of the Year award.
The nominees were selected by members of the CPL’s head office, and the winner will be chosen by a vote of select media members from across the country. The Player of the Year award — represented by the Nikisuittuq sculpture by Cape Dorset artist Pitseolak Qimirpik — recognizes the player adjudged to be the best during the CPL regular season (not including playoffs, Concacaf League, or Canadian Championship).
Three players have won the award before: Forge FC’s Tristan Borges and Kyle Bekker in 2019 and 2020, respectively, and HFX Wanderers FC’s João Morelli in 2021.
For this season, the Player of the Year winner — along with the other CPL award winners — will be revealed at a ceremony during the league’s Final Weekend.
Here are the five nominees for Player of the Year.
Alexander Achinioti-Jönsson, Forge FC
Alex Achinioti-Jönsson entered the year well known as one of the best defensive midfielders in the CPL, but this season he elevated his game in another position: at centre-back. The 26-year-old native of Hittarp, Sweden played his fourth season at Forge FC almost entirely in the backline with usual starter Daniel Krutzen injured, and Achinioti-Jönsson was exceptional. He was good enough, in fact, that he was also nominated for Defender of the Year despite it not being his natural position.
He played 27 out of 28 games for a Forge side that conceded fewer goals than any other CPL team this year, and he was the consistent rock in a lineup that was constantly changing due to injuries. It’s not hard to argue that Achinioti-Jönsson was Forge’s most valuable and best player in 2022, considering the heavy minutes he played and how instrumental he was to ensuring they finished second in the table.
Achinioti-Jönsson was one of the league’s very best distributors of the ball this year, making more successful passes than anybody else with 1,996 and helping spring innumerable attacking sequences for Forge by either delivering the ball upfield or stepping forward himself.
The towering Swede was also strong in the air and good in one-on-one defensive situations — plus, he scored Forge’s first goal of the campaign, a header in their season-opening loss to Pacific FC.
Manuel Aparicio, Pacific FC
Manny Aparicio was a machine for Pacific this season, playing primarily as an attacking midfielder for the defending champs and helping pull the strings for them in attack. The Toronto native is one of the hardest-working players in the CPL both on and off the ball, and he was the engine of Pacific’s midfield this season.
That Aparicio made it onto this list despite playing just 17 regular season games (and a hair over 50 per cent of his team’s minutes) is a testament to just how important he was to Pacific this year. With Aparicio on the pitch, the Tridents had 11 wins, three draws, and three losses this year; without him, they won just twice, drawing four and losing five.
Aparicio was named to the Gatorade Team of the Week six times in 2022, and he was named the CPL’s Player of the Week for the sixth week of the year. He finished second in the league for passes into the final third per 90 minutes with 11.52 — first among midfielders — and his 6.95 recoveries per 90 was fifth among outfield players. Aparicio continued to be one of the best creative players in the league, and his workrate off the ball helped ensure Pacific didn’t spend much time without it.
Ollie Bassett, Atlético Ottawa
Bassett moved to the nation’s capital after winning the CPL title with Pacific FC last season, and he had a breakout year. The English-born midfielder appeared in all but one games for Atlético Ottawa this year, carving out a spot for himself in central midfield after bouncing around various positions the year before.
The former Aston Villa academy player led the regular season champions with eight goals, also contributing two assists and generally running Ottawa’s attack from the centre of the pitch. The 24-year-old was first in the league among midfielders with 138 penalty area entries, and he won possession 175 times (third in the league), demonstrating his defensive effort.
Bassett was also always a threat from set-pieces, with 18 chances created (second-most in the CPL) as well as an Olimpico goal scored against Valour to help his side surge to the top of the table. The Northern Ireland youth international was the driving force behind Ottawa’s regular season title campaign.
Sean Rea, Valour FC
One of the brightest young players in the CPL, Rea shone at Valour this season on loan from MLS side CF Montréal. The 20-year-old set a league record with his nine assists this season, scoring five goals of his own in the process.
Rea was also nominated for U-21 Canadian Player of the Year after a remarkable season in Winnipeg, which saw him lead his team with 2,273 minutes played (appearing in 27 out of 28 matches for Valour). Rea was one of the most dangerous attacking players in the league, helping his side remain in the top-four race until the final month of the season.
Rea’s 62 successful crosses and 71 chances created were both more than anybody else in the CPL — and second place in chances created had just 43, with Rea out in front by an incredible margin. He scored several timely goals for his side, including one highlight-reel strike against York United in the dying minutes to secure a 1-0 win for the Winnipeg club.
The Montréal native was named the CPL’s Player of the Month for August, and he appeared in the Gatorade Team of the Week six times.
Ballou Tabla, Atlético Ottawa
One of the most highly-touted offseason newcomers to the CPL, Tabla did not disappoint in his first season at Atlético Ottawa. The 23-year-old attacker, formerly of CF Montréal and FC Barcelona B, appeared in all but one of Ottawa’s games in 2022, recording 2,121 minutes.
The Ivory Coast-born Canadian international finished with six goals and four assists in the regular season, and he scored perhaps the best goal of the year in a crucial victory over Cavalry FC:
A moment of pure magic ??
Who else has just been watching this stunning goal from @atletiOttawa’s Ballou Tabla on repeat since last night? ??
?: @onesoccer
— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) September 25, 2022
Tabla was the CPL’s Player of the Week twice this year, and he appeared in the Gatorade Team of the Week six times. His role at the front of Ottawa’s lineup was pivotal to his side’s run to the regular season title.