Sasa's Macedonian honour
01/01/2009 1:00 PM
Sasa Ognenovski clearly made an impression in his performances for Adelaide in both the AFC Champions League and the FIFA World Club Cup with the big defender voted the second best Macedonian footballer of 2008.
Ognenovski, who was born in Melbourne, was informed by a Macedonian journalist that he was considered the second best player of Macedonian origin in the past year behind Lazio striker Goran Pandev.
The 29-year-old said he felt honoured to be considered so highly in the country of his heritage.
"I think it was something voted by the journalists in Macedonia and I was lucky enough to finish second," Ognenovski said.
"It's an excellent honour, to finish behind Pandev who plays for Lazio, and is probably one of their best players is a real honour."
But Ognenovski said Adelaide's achievements in 2008 were well behind the Reds and that the club's focus was well and truly on the Hyundai A-League.
"I think it is vitally important for the club and the players who have worked tremendously hard to get through the stages of the AFC Champions League and then the FIFA Club World Cup and to maintain our position on top of the Hyundai A-League ladder," Ognenovski said.
"All of the hard work that we've put in, if we don't get any reward for it at the end of the season that will be very disappointing."