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WHAT PROSPECTS AFTER 20 YEARS SINCE NIGERIAN LAST WON CAF AWARD?

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

It is 20 years since a Nigerian last won the African Footballer of the Year award. The last Nigerian recipient was the legend, Nwankwo Kanu who was decorated on the opening match day in Lagos at the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations for his exploits in 1999.

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Nwankwo Kanu being given his award by former CAF President, Issa Hayatou (l) and the then FIFA President, Sepp Blatter (r)

When the final shortlist was released on New Year Day, the sole Nigerian candidate in the top 10, Alex Iwobi, crashed out. Nigerians can only look forward to next year to find out if any of the country’s footballers can win the award.

Yet in the first eight years of the CAF organised award, Nigerians dominated, winning five times, while five other Nigerian players made the final cut of three in other years of the early period.

Ever since 1999, Nigeria’s best outings were the runners-up position by Mikel Obi in 2013 and the second-runners up ranking of Vincent Enyeama in 2014.

Another edition of the award holds tomorrow on the slave-trade island of Gorée, two kilometres off the Atlantic Ocean coast of Dakar the capital city of Senegal. 

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When a shortlist of 34 was initially composed, there were three Nigerians – Alex Iwobi, Ahmed Musa and Odion Ighalo.

When the list was pruned to 10, speedy striker, Ahmed Musa and current highest goal scorer in the qualifying series for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, qualifying series, Odion Ighalo did not make the cut.

Iwobi, a nephew to the legendary Austin Jay Jay Okocha, had a mountain to climb among the penultimate 10 before last week’s final shortlist. It was a heavyweight composition, hence he could not make it to the last three like his uncle, Austin Jay Jay Okocha did some years ago.

Despite his acclaimed fame and admiration, Okocha never won the title as he agonizingly missed out in 1998, 2003 and 2004. Incidentally, those were the eras when Nigerian footballers made waves across the globe.

When Victor Ikpeba won the 1997 award, Nigeria’s Taribo West, then featuring for Inter Milan was the second runner up.

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In 1998 when Okocha lost the award to Morocco’s Mustapha Hadji, Sunday Oliseh, then playing for Ajax Amsterdam.

The African Footballer of the Year Award has a long history as it was initially done by French publication, FranceFootball magazine in the 1970s. Expectedly, the award skewed in favour of players from the Francophone countries who were the main focus of the magazine.

In 1980, with the assistance from the late Bashorun MKO Abiola, the then African Sports Journalists Union (ASJU), now simply AIPS-Africa, initiated its awards ceremony that were held in irregular intervals and often adopt the results released by FranceFootball,

In 1992, CAF started its official awards. At the early stage, Nigerian dominated. Even though Abedi ‘Pele’ Ayew of Ghana won that of 1992, the next years saw a preponderance of Nigerians.

Rashidi Yekini won that of 1993 while Emmanuel Amuneke beat Liberia’s George Weah to win that of 1994 and Yekini emerged as the second runners-up.

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George Weah won that of 1995, but had two Nigerians as runners-up – Emmanuel Amuneke and Daniel Amokachi.

Nwankwo Kanu beat George Weah to the award in 1996 while Daniel Amokachi was the second runners-up.

Iwobi could see his club mate and former winner, Gabon’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang emerging as winner again. He won in 2015.

Apart from Arsenal as a common denominator for both, they also have Gernot Rohr as a coach both have passed through.

Rohr handled Gabon to the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations and had Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as one of his players. Iwobi is one of Rohr’s key players in the Super Eagles.

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Also, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s father, Pierre-François Aubameyang who had 80 international caps, was in the Gabonese team beaten 3-0 by Super Eagles at the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia.

In a final shortlist that is a replication of that of 2017, Aubameyang have Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Senegal’s Sadio Mane to contend with. The Egyptian was two weeks ago named as BBC’s African Footballer of the Year 2018.

If past trend is anything to go by, CAF Award may just re-echo the award result of BBC.

Those who fell out along with Iwobi in the final shortlist are Andre Onana (Cameroon & Ajax), Anis Badri (Tunisia & Esperance), Denis Onyango (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns) and Mehdi Benatia (Morocco & Juventus).

The others are: Riyad Mahrez (Algeria & Manchester City) and Walid Soliman (Egypt & Ahly).

The final phase will involve votes from CAF Media Experts, Legends, Coaches of the quarter-finalists of the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup, and Coaches & Captains of the 54 Member Associations.

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With Iwobi out of contention for the topmost award, there are other Nigerians who hope to begin 2019 with accolades.  Asisat Oshoala is hoping to win the women’s version of the African Footballer of the Year. She is the reigning queen of the pitch. Contending with Oshoala are two other Nigerians; Francisca Ordega and Onome Ebi.

Nigeria still eyes awards in other categories. Super Eagles’ Wilfred Ndidi who features for Leicester City in the English Premiership is in line for the Youth Player of the Year Award. His challengers are Achraf Hakimi of Morocco and Borussia Dortmund as well as Franck Kessie of Cote d’Ivoire and AC Milan.

  Nine time African champions, Super Falcons are shortlisted along with Cameroon and South Africa for the Women’s National Team of the Year Award.

The three teams will be at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France next year. Nigeria beat the other two countries via penalty shoot-out in the semi finals and final respectively of the CAF Women’s Nations Cup in Ghana.

  The coaches of the three women’s teams are also in line for the Women’s Coach of the Year Award. For the Men’s National team of the Year, the big teams are glaringly absent. The shortlisted are Madagascar, Mauritania and Uganda.

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  Madagascar, the home country for CAF president, Ahmad, got into reckoning by becoming the first team to qualify for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. The team will make a debut at the competition which venue remains undecided.

  Hard playing Uganda qualified back-to-back for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time since their 1976 and 1978 qualifications.

  Mauritania is another surprise qualifier for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, profiting from the disqualification of Sierra Leone. Like Madagascar, Mauritania will be debuting at 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

SHORTLIST FOR AFRICAN FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR 2018

  1. Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool)
  2. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Arsenal)
  3. Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool)

Women’s Player of the Year Nominees

  1. Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Dilian Quanjian)
  2. Chrestinah Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa & Houston Dash)
  3. Francisca Ordega (Nigeria & Washington Spirit)

Youth Player of the Year

1. Achraf Hakimi (Morocco & Borussia Dortmund)

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 2. Franck Kessie (Cote d’Ivoire & AC Milan)

3. Wilfred Ndidi (Nigeria & Leicester City)

Men’s Coach of the Year

1. Aliou Cisse (Senegal)

2. Herve Renard (Morocco)

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3. Moine Chaabani (Esperance)

Women’s Coach of the Year

 1. Desiree Ellis (South Africa)

 2. Joseph Brian Ndoko (Cameroon)

3. Thomas Dennerby (Nigeria)

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Men’s National Team of the Year

1. Madagascar

2. Mauritania

3. Uganda

Women’s National Team of the Year

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1. Cameroon

2. Nigeria

3. South Africa

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Ahead of Nigeria-Libya match: Some kidnapped journalists regain freedom

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An unspecified number of Nigerian journalists travelling to Uyo for Friday’s Nigeria versus Libya’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match have been rescued.

This is contained in a press release by the Sports Writers’ Association of Nigeria (SWAN) on Thursday. The association commended the Nigerian security forces for their efforts in the rescue operation.
From the press release, it was gathered that the media men were abducted within the  Anambra and Imo states axis.

”SWAN therefore commends the security operatives, particularly the Nigerian Army and Police for their prompt action which ensured that up to six of the held Sports Journalists regained their freedom with efforts to get the remaining person freed”, reads the SWAN statement.

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Klopp becomes Red Bull global soccer chief in first job after Liverpool

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Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - May 19, 2024 Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp reacts as he gives a speech after his last match as Liverpool manager REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo

German coach Juergen Klopp has been appointed head of global soccer for Red Bull, owners of several clubs including RB Leipzig and New York Red Bulls, the company said on Wednesday, in his first job since leaving Liverpool earlier this year.

Klopp, who ended his successful nine-year stint with Liverpool at the end of last season, will be starting on January 1, 2025.

“After almost 25 years on the sideline, I could not be more excited to get involved in a project like this,” Klopp, who also coached Mainz 05 and Borussia Dortmund, said in a statement.

“The role may have changed but my passion for football and the people who make the game what it is has not.”

The 57-year-old joined Liverpool in October 2015 and won the Champions League, their first English League title since 1990, the Club World Cup, FA Cup, League Cup and Super Cup, as well as the Community Shield during his time in charge.

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Klopp, who also led Dortmund to two Bundesliga titles, a German Cup and a Champions League final in 2013, had announced in January he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season.

Klopp will not be involved in the day-to-day operations of the Red Bull-owned clubs in Germany, United States, Brazil and Austria, the company said.

“He will provide strategic vision, supporting individual sporting directors in advancing the Red Bull philosophy,” Red Bull said.

Klopp will also support the organisation’s global scouting operation, and contribute to the training and development of coaches.

“I see my role primarily as a mentor for the coaches and management of the Red Bull clubs but ultimately I am one part of an organisation that is unique, innovative and forward looking. As I said, this could not excite me more,” Klopp said.

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Some German media reported his Red Bull contract included an exit clause for the post of Germany national team coach.

Klopp has long been linked to that job, especially after his successful stint at Liverpool and with Germany struggling to make an impact on the international stage in the past decade.

-Reuters

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Cape Verdean, Delgado Rocha, to take charge of Libya, Nigeria battle in Benina

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Referee Delgado Santos Rocha Lenine of Cape Verde

The Confederation of African Football has appointed Delgado Santos Rocha Lenine, from Cape Verde, as referee for Tuesday’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match between the Super Eagles and the Mediterranean Knights of Libya at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium in Benina, close to Benghazi.

He will be assisted by compatriots Djêry Gomes Lopes (assistant referee 1) and Jorge Santos Fonseca Aritson (assistant referee 2), with Hamidou Diero from Burkina Faso as fourth official.

Amir Abdi Hassan from Somalia will be in the role of commissioner, with Malian Dramane Dante as referee assessor and Rachid Medjiba from Algeria as security officer.

Tuesday’s encounter, which is at the back-end of a double header between both nations, will kick off at 9pm Libya time (8pm Nigeria time).  

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