Glo-CAF Awards: Can Ayew beat Toure, Aubameyang?
The race for the 2015 African Player of the Year Award of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has been narrowed down to a three-horse affair for Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and Gabon.
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Ghana’s midfield sensation, Andre Ayew, who plays for English Premier League side, Swansea City, has again been shortlisted to contend with last year’s winner, Yaya Toure of Cote d”Ivoire and Manchester City fame and Gabonese sensation, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Borussia Dortmund.
This brings back memories of the 2011 edition in Accra which saw Toure snatching the prestigious prize away from Ayew in front of his countrymen.
These three top contenders were named at a press conference held in Abuja, Nigeria, last Monday and was attended by CAF Executive member, Anjorin Moucharafou, and some representatives of Glo, the sponsors of the biggest football fiesta in Africa.
The three top nominees for the African Player of the Year – based in Africa include Baghdad Boundjah (Algeria/Etoile du Sahel), Mbwana Aly Samata (Tanzania/TP Mazembe) and Robert Kidiaba (DR Congo/TP Mazembe).
The winners will be decided by votes from head coaches or Technical Directors of the National Associations affiliated to CAF and winners be announced on January 7, 2016 during the Glo-CAF Awards to be held at the International Conference Centre in Abuja, Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the 32-year-old Manchester City midfielder, Yaya Toure, was last week awarded BBC African Footballer of the year 2015.
Toure won the 2014 edition of the Glo-CAF Award ahead of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Vincent Enyeama.
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Since 1992, when Abedi Pele won the award, Ghana has always come close to the top prize without winning it. In 2009 and 2001, Samuel Kuffour came second on each occasion.
In 2006, Michael Essien trailed Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto and lost out again in 2007, 2008 and 2009, while Asamoah Gyan lost it in 2010 to Samuel Etoó, followed by Andre Ayew’s loss to Toure in 2011.