Simply Fútbol: Emmanuel Adebayor

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Showing posts with label Emmanuel Adebayor. Show all posts

Aboutrika Denied '08 African P.O.Y.

Posted by Anonymous

Arsenal's high scoring striker Emmanuel Sheyi Adebayor became the 1st Togolese player to win the Confederation of African Football Player Of the Year. In an awards ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria, Adebayor beat out Egypt & Al-Ahly midfielder Mohamed Aboutrika and Ghana & Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien for the honor.

(Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

Once again the player that deserved to win The Player Of The Year Award didn't win it. In South America, Juan Sebastián Verón won South American Footballer Of The Year when it should have been Ecuador's Joffre Guerrón. This time Mohamed Aboutrika was the one who got screwed and had to settle for the Inter-Club Player of the Year.

(Photo Courtesy of Getty Images)

Mohamed Aboutrika wins every major trophy in Africa for 2009, was the most influential player for both Egypt & Al-Ahly and gets the Inter-Club Player of the Year! That's like hooking up with the ugly fat girl while some scrub pulls Sofia Vergara. Aboutrika should be insulted and act like Kanye West does when Kanye doesn't win an award.

Look, Emmanuel Adebayor had a breakout season and he was one of the top candidates when we previewed the African Player of the Year award but he was not more deserving than Mohamed Aboutrika. The Egyptian playmaker won trophies & scored goals in crucial situations. Adebayor scored a ton of goals for a trophy-less team.

Adebayor winning over Aboutrika sends the message that scoring goals for a trophy less side in Europe is more impressive than being the catalyst for teams that won the two most important trophies on the African continent. The CAF values scoring goals in Europe more than winning massive trophies on its own continent. Please tell me that Africa is not becoming Eurocentric and falling into the trap of European ball being the "end all be all."

There is talk of a bias in the CAF in favor of sub-Saharan national teams. That talk is probably based in the disappointment of Aboutrika not winning the Africa POY. Egypt did deservedly win the lion's share of awards so maybe that makes up for Aboutrika being slighted but the Egyptian FA should be upset that Aboutrika didn't win the continent's most glamourous footballing honor. Fact is, this time the CAF should have followed the BBC in naming Mohamed Aboutrika as the African Footballer Of The Year.

Despite Aboutrika getting the shaft, there was still much to celebrate so check out who won CAF awards for 2008 at the award gala in Lagos, Nigeria.

By the way, the CAF Awards Gala has to be the best awards ceremony on the planet. Not everyone is in a suit & tie or fancy dress, people are wearing traditional garments from their respective nations giving the CAF Awards Gala a unique flavor. Can't say that about any other confederations awards gala.

2.13.2009

'08 Ballers Of The Year - Part III

Posted by Anonymous

The final installment of the Award Winners series will feature the candidates for the African Player of the Year. The winner of the 2007 award went to Sevilla's Mali striker Frédéric Kanouté.

Kanouté was the 1st African P.O.Y. not to be born in Africa, but this year's candidates & eventual winner were all born on the African continent. The WCB list of candidates is slightly different from shortlist that was formally announced so here are our three top candidates for African Footballer Of The Year (in no particular order):

Mohamed Aboutrika

He is the best African footballer plying his trade in Africa. Even though he wears No. 22, he has the skills of a true No. 10. Aboutrika led Egypt to its 5th African Cup of Nations title, scoring the trophy clincher in the final vs. Cameroon. He finished tied for 2nd on the tournament's goal scoring list. Despite injury he has been instrumental in leading African superclub Al-Ahly to the 2008 CAF Champions League Final. It is the 4th time in the last 4 years that Al-Ahly has reached the final. Aboutrika could break Cameroon hearts twice in 2008 because his Al-Ahly team is on the verge of defeating Cameroon side Cotonsport Garoua in the final and thus leading Al-Ahly to a record 6th African Club title.

Samuel Eto'o

He wasn't on the announced formal shortlist for the award and as a 3-time winner he's already had his time but in '08, Eto'o was great. He was the leading goal scorer in the African Cup of Nations in leading Cameroon to a surprise final appearance. Despite missing time during Barca's season due to the Cup of Nations and injury he still managed 16 goals in 18 La Liga appearances. He didn't have the hardware like Aboutrika but he was still a beast and finished with same trophy count as Michael Essien and as many goals as Didier Drogba.

Emmanuel Adebayor

The tall lanky forward from Togo had a breakout season for Arsenal. Under Arsene Wenger's flowing, sharp cutting passing system, Adebayor flourished scoring 24 goals in the Premiership finishing 2nd along with Liverpool's Fernando Torres and behind Man U's Cristiano Ronaldo. Togo did not participate in the African Cup of Nations but his breakout Premiership campaign make him a legitimate candidate for African Player of the Year and a force on the European club scene and Togo national team for a good while.

The winner of the title of African Footballer of the Year is:
Mohamed Aboutrika

The Egyptian playmaker is the deserving winner of African Player of the Year because he performed great in the biggest stages at both the club and national team levels. The same argument made earlier for Joffre Guerron and his South American Player of the Year can be made for Mohamed Aboutrika. The best player on the best club team and in Aboutrika's case, the best player on the best national team in Africa. He would make history if he wins the African P.O.Y. because since the Confederation of African Football gave out the award in 1992, no Egyptian has ever won. We should see soon, a Pharaoh once again reigning over Africa.