NAN-S-5
Awards
By Chukwuemeka Opara
Abakaliki, Jan. 6, 2017 (NAN) Ebonyi soccer fans have urged Super Eagles star, Victor Moses and others to sustain their splendid forms to be in contention for the 2017 GLO-CAF African Best Player award.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that at the awards in Abuja on Thursday evening, Algerian Riyad Mahrez and Leicester City of England’s player emerged the continent’s finest player.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Gabon and Borussia Dortmund player came second, while Sadio Mane of Senegal and Liverpool star won the third place.
Nigeria on the other hand, won the Women’s Player of the Year through Asisat Oshoala while Kelechi Iheanacho emerged the Most Promising Talent and Alex Iwobi the Youth Player of the Year.
The Super Falcons claimed the Women’s National Team of the year.
Sam Mgbada, the immediate past Youth and Sports Commissioner in the state, regretted that no Nigerian player was in the race for the best player’s award.
“It is unfortunate that no Nigerian player has won the award since Nwankwo Kanu’s feat in 1999 and our hopes are currently in the likes of Victor Moses who is currently in top form.
“Moses’ splendid showings for Chelsea FC of England and the Super Eagles if sustained, would afford him the opportunity of vying for the award in 2017,’’ he said.
Corroborating Mgbada’s assertion, Dickson Uwadiegwu, Team Manager of Nigeria National League (NNL) newly promoted Alter Nite FC of Abakaliki, said that Moses stood a chance of winning the award in 2017.
“Mahrez won the award due to his scintillating form which assisted Leicester City FC of England to win the EPL for the first time in the 2015/2016 season.
“Moses can also be considered for the award if he assists Chelsea to win the EPL title considering that he is making his full-season appearance for the club,’’ he said.
Charles Mmegwa, a member of Arsenal FC of England Fans Club, Abakaliki Chapter, also believes that the duo of Alex Iwobi and Kelechi Iheanacho can still win the award in 2017.
“It is not only Moses that is in spectacular form for his club but Iwobi and Ihenacho which made them scoop individual awards in England and the GLO/CAF Youth awards.
“The duo should be given high chances of winning because Senegal’s El Hadji-Diouf who won the award in 2001and 2002 was about their ages then, as we have Mahrez currently,’’ he said.
Bright Odoh, a football agent, urged Nigerian fans not to rate Super Eagles players’ performances with results of the GLO/CAF awards.
“It is clear that CAF being dominated by francophone countries always favoured players from these countries to the detriment of those from anglophone countries.
“Austin Okocha controversially lost the award to Moroccan Mustapha El-Hadji in 1998 and Cameroon’s Samuel Eto in 2003 when it was clear he was the continent’s best player then,’’ he said.
Mrs Flora Nwankpa, a civil servant and soccer buff, hailed Oshoala and Super Flacons for proving that Nigeria remained the best female soccer-playing country in Africa.
“I urge the ladies not to be discouraged by the shoddy treatment always meted out to them by our soccer authorities and be motivated by the accolades they receive during and after such situations,’’ she said. (NAN)
RCO/PDE
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(Editing by Edwin Nwachukwu/Peter Ejiofor)