WINNERS
PLAYER – Mohammed Salah
Few players come close to Pharaohs star Mohammed Salah this past year, both for club and country. He finished with 18 goals for Roma last season, helping them to third place in Serie A and the Uefa Champions League round of 16. This season, he has already added eight more. At international level his five goals helped Egypt return to the 2017 African Nations Cup after missing out on the last three editions. And he already has two goals in two World Cup-qualifying matches. Only Algeria’s El Arbi Soudani and Kenya’s Getaneh Kebede managed more.
Few players come close to Pharaohs star Mohammed Salah this past year, both for club and country. He finished with 18 goals for Roma last season, helping them to third place in Serie A and the Uefa Champions League round of 16. This season, he has already added eight more. At international level his five goals helped Egypt return to the 2017 African Nations Cup after missing out on the last three editions. And he already has two goals in two World Cup-qualifying matches. Only Algeria’s El Arbi Soudani and Kenya’s Getaneh Kebede managed more.
COACH – Milutin Sredojevic
There are more than enough deserving winners for this award, but ‘Micho’ takes it for a single-minded dedication to delivering the Nations Cup ticket to Uganda after 39 years. One would have to either be Ugandan or a keen follower of Uganda to appreciate the enormity of this achievement after so many near misses, especially in the face of the challenging speed bumps in his way. Micho also has Uganda in second place in the 2018 Fifa World Cup qualification, only behind Egypt and ahead of Ghana.
CLUB – Mamelodi Sundowns
Eliminated in the third round of the CAF Champions League, the club launched a successful protest, then went all the way to win the continent’s flagship club competition. A remarkable achievement for South Africa’s ‘Brazilians’.
Eliminated in the third round of the CAF Champions League, the club launched a successful protest, then went all the way to win the continent’s flagship club competition. A remarkable achievement for South Africa’s ‘Brazilians’.
NATIONAL TEAM – Uganda
Qualifying for the Nations Cup may not seem like much, but when you are Uganda and have endured 39 years of hurt, it is a really big deal. Especially if that ticket was secured by consistent performances in the face of self-destructive odds.
Qualifying for the Nations Cup may not seem like much, but when you are Uganda and have endured 39 years of hurt, it is a really big deal. Especially if that ticket was secured by consistent performances in the face of self-destructive odds.
WOMAN PLAYER – Desire Oparanozie
Injured at the start of the African Women Nations Cup, the Super Falcons striker recovered to score three decisive goals, including the match-winner in the Final that gave Nigeria the trophy.
Injured at the start of the African Women Nations Cup, the Super Falcons striker recovered to score three decisive goals, including the match-winner in the Final that gave Nigeria the trophy.
REFEREE – Janny Sikazwe
The Zambian was tapped to officiate at the Fifa Club World Cup and did so well he was picked for the Final. Although there were question marks about his decision not to send off Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos late in the game, the official acquitted himself efficiently.
The Zambian was tapped to officiate at the Fifa Club World Cup and did so well he was picked for the Final. Although there were question marks about his decision not to send off Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos late in the game, the official acquitted himself efficiently.
LOSERS
PLAYER – Yaya Toure
A four-time winner of the African Player of the Year award, Toure’s reaction to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang winning the award in early 2016 was as churlish as it was classless. And he carried the same temperament over to club level where his attitude saw him ostracised by new coach Pep Guardiola for most of the season.
A four-time winner of the African Player of the Year award, Toure’s reaction to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang winning the award in early 2016 was as churlish as it was classless. And he carried the same temperament over to club level where his attitude saw him ostracised by new coach Pep Guardiola for most of the season.
ADMINISTRATOR – Mortada Monsur & Solomon Dalung
Zamalek’s erratic chairman Monsur has gone through more coaches than his team have wins against rivals Al Ahly in recent years, and he looks likely to dismiss the current occupant following another derby reverse. At this rate, he might be well advised to fire himself. Nigeria’s Sports Minister Dalung just could not seem to open his mouth without his foot ending up in it, with each statement more embarrassing than the last. Spare a thought for Dalung’s media team, and the amount of fires they have had to scramble to put out in the last year.
NATIONAL FEDERATION – Nigeria
The litany of failures read longer than a serial murderer’s rap sheet, but three stand out: failure to qualify for the Nations Cup, inability to pay the national team allowances, and issues of financial transparency. All contributed to do major reputational damage at a time when the federation should have been focused on more important issues.
COACH – Ephraim Mashaba
There has been no looser cannon in African football, and with a sword of Damocles hanging over his head, ‘Shakes’ decided to self-combust on live television, firing invectives the way of his employers.
After that, there was only one way left to go … the highway.
There has been no looser cannon in African football, and with a sword of Damocles hanging over his head, ‘Shakes’ decided to self-combust on live television, firing invectives the way of his employers.
After that, there was only one way left to go … the highway.
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