Mikel takes on Drogba, Toure for CAF award

The award for the 2013 African Player of the Year has not been this close to call for a Nigerian since Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha contended with Samuel Eto’o and Didier Drogba in 2003 and 2004. On both occasions, Eto’o won the awards much to the chagrin of Okocha’s fans the world over.

This year, Chelsea’s Mikel Obi is favoured by many Nigerians to beat Ivory Coast stars Drogba and Yaya Toure to the award. But the Ivoirians were as impressive as the Nigerian in the year in review for the award,

only that statistics in laurels won is in favour of Mikel.

In the past 21 editions of the award, Nigerians have won it just five times – Rashidi Yekini (1993), Emmanuel Amuneke (1994), Nwankwo Kanu (1996, 1999), Victor Ikpeba (1997) – while the players from Ivory Coast have taken the crown six times. Cameroonians have had the greatest success in this category with 11 crowns.

Since 2004, when Austin Okocha was third behind Samuel Eto’o and Didier Drogba, no Nigerian had made it to the last-three shortlist for the award.

Unlike Okocha, what Mikel has going for him is his contribution to Chelsea’s success as they conquered Europe to win the UEFA Europa League last year. His role in the Super Eagles as Nigeria won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013 has also boosted his chances of winning the award.

Save for these two great achievements, Mikel has nothing going for him. But then, the other two contenders have nothing better on their trophy shelves.

Mikel is not new to the CAF awards after being decorated as the African Young Player of the Year in 2005 and 2006. But this is the first time in his career he will get close to the top crown.

Drogba, a former teammate of Mikel at Chelsea, has won the crown twice before – 2006 and 2009. On both occasions he defeated Eto’o and Ghana’s Michael Essien to the title. But this term he has just two major achievements to his name.

While leading his national team to a defeat against a Mikel-inspired Super Eagles in the quarterfinals of the 2013 AFCON, Drogba had reason to smile after leading Galatasaray to the 2013 Turkish Supa Lig title and also winning the TFF Supa Kupa. Galatasaray’s success at the four-club Emirates Cup last year will count for little in favour of Drogba.

Toure, a two-time holder of the crown (2011, 2012), achieved nothing but a World Cup qualification alongside Drogba in their national team. His last major achievements were in 2012, and they earned him the African crown.

But his fans did not forget in a hurry how he helped Manchester City to the Premier League title and the Community Shield in 2012 hence the voting which gave him the BBC African Footballer of the Year in 2013.

Nigeria is expected to win more awards at the event on Thursday. Apart from the one involving Mikel, the Super Eagles are in contention with Burkina Faso and Ethiopia for the National Team of the Year award, while Nigeria’s U-17 team, the Golden Eaglets are the only nominees for the Youth National team of the Year.

Sunday Mba, who scored vital goals for Nigeria against Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso at the 2013 AFCON is also in contention with Egyptians Ahmed Fathy and Mohamed Abou Trika for the African Player of the year (based in Africa). Abou Trika currently holds the crown in the category.

The Fair Play Award will also be given to the Nigerian Supporters Club, being the only nominees in the category.

For the Coach of the Year award, it will be difficult for Burkina Faso coach Paul Put to outshine Golden Eaglets coach Manu Garba and Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi.

Golden Eaglets teen sensation Kelechi Iheanacho is favoured to win the Most Promising Talent award ahead of Ebenezer Assifuah of Ghana and Saleh Gomaa of Egypt.