There were some outstanding Players in the recently concluded 2023/24 season of the Ethiopian Premier league with a look at what is arguably the League's best XI this season.
Newly promoted Commercial Bank of Ethiopia or CBE otherwise known as Ethiopia Nigd Bank emerged as the new Champions.
There were teams who are expected to challenge for the be the title this season but failed to reach their previous high standards including St George, Fasil City, Ethiopia Coffee and Bahir Dar City who finished runners up the previous season.
Two of the three promoted teams got relegated while CBE claimed the title and they owe this to the solid scouting and recruitment of some of the best talent.
There were other teams with some memorable performances that kept the league alive.
Hadiya Hosanna 's 18 match unbeaten streak, Bahir Dar City's last 16 matches unbeaten streak.
Ethiopia Coffee's improvements under Netsanet Kibre, Yitagesu Endale's best Adama City, Wolkite City's last gasp survival in the last week are some of the highlights of what has been a truly competitive and entertaining season.
The Players were not left out, with some Stars living up to their billing especially the expensively assembled core of the title challengers, CBE and Mechal Sports.
However, there were many who didn't sparkle, but despite not reaching the numbers of some of the previous record goal scorers, there were three top goalscorers in the race for golden boots
Eritrean international Striker, Ali Suleiman finished as top scorer in the League with 20 goals for Hawassa City despite the fact the Lakers were mostly midtable all season.
The Former Bahir Dar City player 's phenomenal season at the lakers when you consider that he scored over half of team's goals, it's no surprise he is already primed for a move to Europe.
His partnership with Tafesse Tesfaye in addition to his searing pace was hard for opponents.
Mechal"s inspirational Minyelu Wondimu was second top scorer with 15 goals leading their impressive title challenge and
Wondimu has been one of the outstanding Players in the league over the last four seasons but didn't always appear in the scorer's charts.
He was often credited with assists and his notable creativity helping to unlock defences but this season, he showed his exceptional qualities.
He led Mechal as Captain, and it seemed like the armband have him wings. He stepped up for every penalty and dispatched with aplomb, and his movement on and off the ball was different.
His teammates responded with returning the favor as he was often at the end of some creative exchange of passes initiated by him, hence his 25 goals return.
Amanuel Erbo of St George scored 13 goals to finish third highest scorer playing in only his first season at the 16 times league champions.
His goals scoring stats is amazing because he didn't get in most of the starting lineups, but often comes off the bench.
His return of 13 goals is above a third of St George's overall team goals.
This season threw up a great mixture of some of the emerging young talent but also the top experienced stars still showing they can mix it.
The Ethiopia Premier League revealed the nominees for the best players of the seaosn two weeks before the end of the season, and they include Basiru Oumer , Shimeles Bekele, Kenean Markneh, Fetudin Jemal, Chernet Gugsa , Ali Suleiman and Binyam Fikre.
Here is the best XI of the 2023/24 seaosn
Goalkeeper:
Firew Getahun (Ethiopia Nigd Bank)
Defenders:
Fetudin Jemal (Ethiopia Nigd Bank)
Fikru Alemayehu (Adama City)
Suleiman Hamid (Ethiopia Nigd Bank)
Befikadu Alemayehu (Ethiopia Coffee)
Midfielders:
Basiru Oumer (Ethiopia Nigd Bank)
Shimeles Bekele (Mechal)
Binyan Ayten (Adama City)
Sttikers:
Addis Gidey (Ethiopia Nigd Bank)
Kenean Markneh (Mechal)
Ali Suleiman (Hawassa City)
Head Coach:
Betselot Leulseged (Ethiopia Nigd Bank)
Honourable mention:
There are some players not included in the best eleven, but who performed well this season
Abdulkerim Worku (Ethiopia Coffee, ) Wasawa Geofery (Ethiopia Coffee, ) Mesfin Tafesse (Ethiopia Coffee, ) Amanuel Erbo (St George, ) Pepe Seido (who has more cleansheets than any other Goalkeeper (Bahir Dar City, ) Miillion Solomon (Ethiopian Insurance, ) Yared Kassaye (Ethiopian Insurance, ) Temesgen Birhanu (Hadiya Hosanna, ) Alwenzie Nafiyan (Mechal, ) Binyam Genetu(Wolaitta Dicha, ) Abinet Demissie (Wolaitta Dicha, ) Binyam Fikru(Wolaitta Dicha.)
