Dr. Kwame Nkrumah greets players of the national before a game in 1962
Ghana skipper, Asamoah Gyan has made the 5-man shortlist for the 2014 Glo-CAF AFrica Footballer of the year award whilst the first leader of the Republic of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah has been nominated for the CAF Platinum Award for his contributions to the development of African Football during his lifetime.
Gyan became Africa’s all-time top scorer in the history of the FIFA World Cup by bagging his 5th and 6th goals at Brazil 2014 despite Ghana’s disappointing first round exit to overtake Cameroonian legend, Roger Milla who had held the record since 1994.
The Black Stars captain also retained his goal king trophy in the United Arab Emirates’ Arabian Gulf League as well as adding the top scorer gong of the Asian Champions’ League in the year under review.
But it will not come easy though for the Ghanaian who will have to see off the challenge of 3-time reigning Africa footballer of the year, Yaya Toure as well as Borrussia Dortmund and Gabon goal poacher, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Nigerian duo, goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and exciting CSKA forward, Ahmed Musa.
Late Dr. Nkrumah believed and supported sports, not least football during his 6-year reign as Ghana’s President, a period during which the Black Stars won the 1963 and 1965 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. Dr. Nkrumah also donated a trophy for the organisation of a club tournament for Africa’s top football clubs.
Now many decades after his death, the Confederation of African Football will reward Dr. Nkrumah’s efforts at the 2014 Glo-CAF gala awards in Lagos as he will receive the Platinum award along with Nigeria President, Goodluck Jonathan.
Coming today which marks exactly 51 years to the day when the Black Stars first lifted the Nations Cup right before President Nkrumah and Ghanaians in Accra.
OTHER 2014 GLO-CAF AWARDS CATEGORIES
In the African Player of the Year (Based in Africa) category, the five shortlisted players are the duo of Akram Djahnit and El Hedi Belamieri of Algeria and ES Setif, Firmin Mubel Ndombe of Congo and As Vita, Fakhereddine Ben Youssef of Tunisia and CS Sfaxien and late Senso Meyiwa of South Africa and Orlando Pirates.
The players were shortlisted from 25 players who were earlier nominated for the African Player of the Year, and 20 players who made the list for the Player of the Year (Based in Africa) category.
Also released is the list of nominees for other categories of the Awards and they include: Annette Ngo Ndom of Cameroon, Asisat Oshoala of Nigeria and Rivers Angels, Desire Oparanozie of Nigeria and Guingamp, Portia Modise of Banyana Banayana, South Africa and Zenatha Coleman of Namibia for African Women Player of the Year while the Africa Youth Player of the Year has Asisat Oshoala and Uchechi Sunday from Nigeria, Fabrice Ondoa of Cameroon and Kader Bidimbou of Congo Brazaville as nominees.
For Most promising Talent Award, the shortlisted players are: Clinton N’jie of Cameroon qnd Olympic Lyon, Mubele Ndombe of Congo DR and AS VIta, Vincent Aboubakar of Cameroon and Fc Porto and Yacini Brahimi of Algeria and also FC Porto while Florent Mbenge, Kherireddine Madoui of Algeria, Rigo Gervais of Cote D’Ivoire, Stephen Keshi of Nigeria and Vahid Halilhdzich of Bosnia and Algeria National Team were nominated for Coach of the Year.
Other Nominees are the trio of Nigeria, Algeria and Libya listed forNational team of the Year, Cameroon, Cote D’Ivoire, Nigeria and Nigeria U-20 for Women’s National team of the Year and Club of the Year with Al-Ahly of Egypt, As Vita of Congo, Es-Setif of Algeria and Sewe Sports of Cote D’Ivoire as nominees.
The rest are CAF Fair Play Award, African Legend Award (to be decided between Team of Oryx that won the maiden edition of African Champions League or Team of Stade Malien that were runners up of the first edition), Referee of the Year, Platinum Awardto be presented to Nigerian President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan and late Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, former President of Ghana.
Also listed among the Awards are Football Manager of the Year, Africa’s Finest Eleven, Goal of the Year and Save of the Year.
The winners will be decided by votes from the Head Coaches and Technical Directors of the National Associations affiliated to CAF.
The Glo-CAF Awards Gala nite will take place on Thursday, 8 January 2015 in Lagos, Nigeria.
Ivorian Yaya Toure was crowned African Player of the Year for the past three years whilst Mohamed Aboutreika of Egypt was named African Player of the Year (Based in Africa) last year.
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