Have your say and vote now for the Turkish Airlines Player of the Month of February, with Melbourne Victory fans invited to choose from a quintet of nominees.
After a busy month that saw the Boys in Blue play five games, the Turkish Airlines Player of the Match winners from each of these Isuzu UTE A-League fixtures all received automatic nominations for the award.
With legendary Spanish midfielder Juan Mata voted as Victory’s top player for January, have a look at who could be crowned the Turkish Airlines Player of the Month of February.
Turkish Airlines Player of the Month nominees
Joshua Rawlins
Earning his first Player of the Month nomination after an impressive showing in Victory’s opening fixture of February against Central Coast Mariners, Joshua Rawlins finds himself in contention for the award after a strong stretch of games.
The 21-year-old defender won the Player of the Match award in Round 15, winning five out of six ground duels and three out of four aerial duels in a complete performance down the right flank.
Playing in every available minute across the month, where he recorded an average FotMob rating of 7.14, Rawlins’ consistent efforts make him a formidable contender for the prize.
Nishan Velupillay
Reclaiming his starting position after an eye-catching appearance from the bench against Central Coast, Nishan Velupillay has also earned his first Player of the Month nomination of the season.
Utilising his immense speed and directness from the left-wing, the Socceroo scored a crucial go-ahead goal on the brink of half-time in Victory’s Round 16 match on the road against Wellington Phoenix.
Playing the entire 90 minutes and finishing the game with a strong 8.4 FotMob rating, Velupillay won the Player of the Match award and will be in contention as Victory’s Player of the Month.
Charles Nduka
Joining the Club in the mid-season transfer window, Japanese striker Charles Nduka’s performances right from the jump has secured him a nomination for the Player of the Month award.
After providing Velupillay with a crucial assist in the previous week’s trip to Wellington, the impactful striker had a moment to remember on his AAMI Park debut against Brisbane Roar, producing a deft chip to score his first goal for the Club to the delight of the Victory faithful in attendance.
Nduka’s Player of the Match performance in Round 17 has him fighting for Victory’s Player of the Month of February, a testament to his strong start to life in Australia.
Juan Mata
Back in the mix for a potential third Player of the Month award, Juan Mata’s performances for the Boys in Blue have caught the eyes and hearts of football fans globally.
Displaying his timeless quality in the Round 18 Melbourne Derby clash, El Mago would score two remarkable long-range strikes and produce the assist for Victory’s third and final goal, finishing the game with an outstanding 9.4 FotMob rating.
Recording two goals and three assists in February, seeing him extend his lead on top of the league’s assist charts, with 10 so far this season, the 37-year-old will certainly be a strong favourite for this award.
Keegan Jelacic
Working his back into the starting line-up amongst a group of top-class wingers in Victory’s ranks, Keegan Jelacic continued his form into February for the team.
Promoted to the XI after providing the winning assist against Wellington, the 23-year-old would score his fifth goal of the season in fine fashion during Victory’s face-off against Adelaide United, recognised as the Player of the Match after finishing with an 8.0 FotMob rating.
In the midst of the most productive season of his career, Jelacic finds himself in contention for the Player of the Month award for the second time this season, hoping to go one better after a strong February.
Voting closes on Thursday, March 5, 11:59pm.
