Stepanov secures Estonia honour
Sunday, November 21, 2004
Article summary
FC Torpedo Moskva defender Andrei Stepanov has been named Estonia's player of the year.
Article body
FC Torpedo Moskva defender Andrei Stepanov has been named Estonia's player of the year in the annual post-season gala organised by the Estonian Football Association and Estonian Football Writers' Club.
Injury woe
The 25-year-old centre-back, who had spells at FC TVMK Tallinn, Lelle SK and FC Flora, moved to Torpedo in January and excelled for the club before an ankle injury cut his season short in August. At that time his side were leading the Russian Premier League but without his influence, their form dipped and they eventually finished fifth.
'A pleasant surprise'
Stepanov's Estonia central defensive partner, Fredrikstad FK's Raio Piiroja, took the runners-up accolade, while six-times winner Mart Poom was third. Stepanov believes that the Sunderland AFC goalkeeper was unlucky not to receive a seventh award. "Poom has been outstanding in England and for Estonia, so I didn't expect to win as I missed several months with injury," he said. "It is a surprise, but obviously a pleasant one and this gives me extra motivation to move on and return as soon as possible."
