Africa's elite compete for 'Oscars'
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Africa's elite compete for 'Oscars'
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Africa's elite compete for 'Oscars'
Thu, 29 Apr 2004
Samuel Eto'o of Cameroon and Jay Jay Okocha of Nigeria will vie for the major prize when the African football 'Oscars' are awarded on Friday night.
Eto'o, fellow striker Didier Drogba of Ivory Coast and midfielder Okocha are the finalists in the African Footballer of the Year category, highlight of the eight-part ceremony in the Cameroon capital.
A series of outstanding performances in the Confederations Cup last year, including a dazzling individual goal against World Cup holders Brazil, make Eto'o from Spanish club Real Mallorca slight favourite.
Nigerians seem set to cry 'foul' if Okocha from English Premiership outfit Bolton is not honoured, but his inspirational displays at the African Nations Cup last January and February can be considered only for the next award.
Drogba owes his inclusion to consistent scoring for French clubs Guingamp and Marseille as the Ivorian Elephants failed to qualify for the 2004 Nations Cup after appearing in 10 consecutive editions of the biennial tournament.
Eto'o and Okocha are also contenders for the Goal of the Year award with South Africans Mbulelo Mabizela and the late Lesley Manyathela and Nigerian Endurance Idahor.
Manyathela died when his car left the road and overturned close to midnight last August while driving to the home of his mother just hours after scoring for Orlando Pirates in a pre-season domestic knockout competition.
Gladys Manyathela has been invited to the ceremony, the first to be staged outside South Africa, to accept the award should the goal scored by her son in an All-Africa Games qualifier against Angola be voted the best.
There are two Cameroon national sides — senior and under-23 — vying for Team of the Year with the former likely to succeed after coming second behind hosts France in the Confederations Cup. The Egypt youth team complete the list.
Egypt are better placed in the Champions League Footballer of the Year section with Hosny Abd Rabo and Dramane Traore from runners-up Ismailia up against Skander Souayah from semifinalists Esperance of Tunisia.
Ismailia are among three Club of the Year contenders, but Champions League holders Enyimba, the first Nigerian team to win the 40-year-old competition, are the obvious choice.
Raja Casablanca of Morocco, who won the final edition of the CAF Cup for national league runners-up, complete a list that surprisingly does not include Cup Winners Cup holders Etoile Sahel of Tunisia.
Etoile overcame a two-goal first leg deficit in the decider against Julius Berger of Nigeia, winning a thriller 3-0 with the crucial goal coming just two minutes before full-time.
Coach of the Year is difficult to call with German Winfried Schafer guiding Cameroon to Confederations Cup glory, Serb Ratomir Djukovic organising the qualification of Rwanda for the Nations Cup and Kadiri Ikhana leading Enyimba.
The Nigerian club could complete a 'hat-trick' as Vincent Enyeama has been shortlisted for Goalkeeper of the Year with Idriss Kanemi of Cameroon and Hicham Mezair from Algerian champions USMA.
Ivory Coast defender Kolo Toure, a member of the Arsenal Premiership-winning squad, and midfielders Obafemi Martins of Nigeria and Steven Pienaar of South Africa are the Young Footballer of the Year nominees.
AFP
Africa's elite compete for 'Oscars'
Thu, 29 Apr 2004
Samuel Eto'o of Cameroon and Jay Jay Okocha of Nigeria will vie for the major prize when the African football 'Oscars' are awarded on Friday night.
Eto'o, fellow striker Didier Drogba of Ivory Coast and midfielder Okocha are the finalists in the African Footballer of the Year category, highlight of the eight-part ceremony in the Cameroon capital.
A series of outstanding performances in the Confederations Cup last year, including a dazzling individual goal against World Cup holders Brazil, make Eto'o from Spanish club Real Mallorca slight favourite.
Nigerians seem set to cry 'foul' if Okocha from English Premiership outfit Bolton is not honoured, but his inspirational displays at the African Nations Cup last January and February can be considered only for the next award.
Drogba owes his inclusion to consistent scoring for French clubs Guingamp and Marseille as the Ivorian Elephants failed to qualify for the 2004 Nations Cup after appearing in 10 consecutive editions of the biennial tournament.
Eto'o and Okocha are also contenders for the Goal of the Year award with South Africans Mbulelo Mabizela and the late Lesley Manyathela and Nigerian Endurance Idahor.
Manyathela died when his car left the road and overturned close to midnight last August while driving to the home of his mother just hours after scoring for Orlando Pirates in a pre-season domestic knockout competition.
Gladys Manyathela has been invited to the ceremony, the first to be staged outside South Africa, to accept the award should the goal scored by her son in an All-Africa Games qualifier against Angola be voted the best.
There are two Cameroon national sides — senior and under-23 — vying for Team of the Year with the former likely to succeed after coming second behind hosts France in the Confederations Cup. The Egypt youth team complete the list.
Egypt are better placed in the Champions League Footballer of the Year section with Hosny Abd Rabo and Dramane Traore from runners-up Ismailia up against Skander Souayah from semifinalists Esperance of Tunisia.
Ismailia are among three Club of the Year contenders, but Champions League holders Enyimba, the first Nigerian team to win the 40-year-old competition, are the obvious choice.
Raja Casablanca of Morocco, who won the final edition of the CAF Cup for national league runners-up, complete a list that surprisingly does not include Cup Winners Cup holders Etoile Sahel of Tunisia.
Etoile overcame a two-goal first leg deficit in the decider against Julius Berger of Nigeia, winning a thriller 3-0 with the crucial goal coming just two minutes before full-time.
Coach of the Year is difficult to call with German Winfried Schafer guiding Cameroon to Confederations Cup glory, Serb Ratomir Djukovic organising the qualification of Rwanda for the Nations Cup and Kadiri Ikhana leading Enyimba.
The Nigerian club could complete a 'hat-trick' as Vincent Enyeama has been shortlisted for Goalkeeper of the Year with Idriss Kanemi of Cameroon and Hicham Mezair from Algerian champions USMA.
Ivory Coast defender Kolo Toure, a member of the Arsenal Premiership-winning squad, and midfielders Obafemi Martins of Nigeria and Steven Pienaar of South Africa are the Young Footballer of the Year nominees.
AFP