27th September, 2010
In what appears to be a further downward trend of Nigerian football, most of the country stars were missing in the nomination list of the 2010 CAF Player of the Year Award.
Interestingly, while Nigeria has only Obinna Nsofor, who is at West Ham United on loan from Inter Milan of Italy, on the list, countries like Ivory Coast and Ghana have four players each on the list of nominees for the prestigious awards.
The last time a Nigerian won the continent’s biggest individual accolade was in 1999 when Nwankwo Kanu was picked as Africa’s top star. Kanu was also adjudged the continent’s foremost performer in 1996.
Chelsea ace Michael Essien leads the Ghanaian contingent alongside Asamoah Gyan, Asamoah Kwadwo and Kevin-Prince Boateng.
Didier Drogba is one of four Ivorians being considered for the award. Others are Salomon Kalou, Gervinho and Kolo Toure.
Other nominees are Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon), Madjid Bougherra (Algeria), Steven Pienaar (South Africa), Mohamed Zidan (Egypt), Frederic Kanoute, Seydou Keita (Mali), Marouane Chamakh (Morocco) and Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo).
The list will be pruned later in the year.