African Footballer of the Year decision postponed

Vincent. · Post by **Vincent.** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 4:13 pm

African Footballer of the Year decision postponed

By Mark Gleeson

TUNIS, Jan 23 (Reuters) - The list of candidates for the 2003 African Footballer of the Year award has been cut to three but the Confederation of African Football has reversed its decision to name the winner on Friday.

Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o, the Ivorian striker Didier Drogba and Nigerian midfielder Jay-Jay Okocha are the three finalists, but the winner will not now be named until April 30 in Yaounde.

CAF officials blamed "technical hitches" but organisers of the annual African awards gala said it was because the event sponsor wanted the winner to be unveiled in Cameroon.

Last month, the CAF named five finalists but Obafemi Martins of Inter Milan and Tunisian international Hatem Trabelsi failed to make the last three.

However, Nigerian sensation Martins has been named as one of the three candidates for the Young Player of the Year title despite his shunning the African Nations Cup finals, which start in Tunis on Saturday.

The other finalists are Kolo Toure of Arsenal and Ajax Amsterdam midfielder Steven Pienaar.

Organisers said the award was for players aged under 21 but then changed their statement when it was pointed out at Friday's media conference that Toure will turn 23 in March.

Eto'o is among the senior finalists for the third successive year and is the favourite after helping Cameroon to the final of the Confederations Cup in France.

Okocha's inclusion is a surprise as is that of Drogba, who has only burst into the limelight since signing for French club Marseille in August.

The title has been won for the last two years by Liverpool and Senegalese striker El Hadji Diouf.

senator · Post by **senator** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 4:16 pm

which one be this again?

green4life · Post by **green4life** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 4:16 pm

Can you smell a cameroon conspiracy??? ... first, this hayatou character gets reelected as CAF presido... now, he decides that this thing be postponed for 4 MONTHS to allow them to release the result in his village... now what's the chance that anyone but Eto will win this thing now?

Oba · Post by **Oba** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 4:18 pm

Yeye CAF. So they want me to wait till summer before knowing the African footballer of last year!!! Dem dey craze. Anyways, Jay Jay had better keep the magic as that would give him a chance to outshine Etoo

Baii · Post by **Baii** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 4:21 pm

If this news is true then indeed they don't have shame.
What kind of thing is that. April is far too long Hayoutou might just forget it cause now we all know for sure his intensions.

senator · Post by **senator** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 4:23 pm

The guy is hoping that Cameroon win the ANC so one of his boys can outshine JAY JAY.

Oba · Post by **Oba** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 4:23 pm

Ya know, I saw something like that on the CAF website, they said they were calling a press conference this afternoon to announce categories and nominees for the CAF Awards. I thought it was a big joke or maybe they meant they would be announcing winners.

ugly boy · Post by **ugly boy** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 4:23 pm

Hayatou believes Cameroon are getting a third title and wants to bless them with the son of the soil award...

..he will be in for a rude shock

Post by **juventuss** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 4:24 pm

what a bunch of horsesh1t. CAF can take that award and shove it. How can it take 4 months to anounce the APOY ? Even presidential elections are decided in 1 day. They are making a ridicule of the award.

CAF = bunch of thieves

Post by **juventuss** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 4:25 pm

what a bunch of horsesh1t. CAF can take that award and shove it. How can it take 4 months to anounce the APOY ? Even presidential elections are decided in 1 day. They are making a ridicule of the award.

CAF = bunch of thieves

oluwaseye the 1st. · Post by **oluwaseye the 1st.** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 4:27 pm

This looks very fishy to me, are they still voting on it or have they voted already and awaiting the results, also if the headquaters of CAF is in cairo, why announce the result in Yaounde. Guys, i suspect a stich up.

ugly boy · Post by **ugly boy** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 4:30 pm

oluwaseye the 1st. wrote:This looks very fishy to me, are they still voting on it or have they voted already and awaiting the results, also if the headquaters of CAF is in cairo, why announce the result in Yaounde. Guys, i suspect a stich up.

you know this hayatou is out of his mind..his home town...buhahahahaahaha ...someone needs to flog the sense into Cameroon ...the corkyness of an above average team can be very nauseating

Robbynice · Post by **Robbynice** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 4:32 pm

green4life wrote:Can you smell a cameroon conspiracy??? ... first, this hayatou character gets reelected as CAF presido... now, he decides that this thing be postponed for 4 MONTHS to allow them to release the result in his village... now what's the chance that anyone but Eto will win this thing now?

Ol'boy I can smell it. Not only can I smell it, I can see it too. It is written all ovet it. :x

ugly boy · Post by **ugly boy** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 4:33 pm

THIS IS BUSH AFRICAN BEHAVIOUR AT IT'S BEST

Dombraye · Post by **Dombraye** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 4:35 pm

This is totally ridiculous.......CAF is such a joke!

MI5 · Post by **MI5** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 4:35 pm

Nonsense.... African soccer is doomed and with Hayatou why doesn't he just hand over the the affair of African futbol to his masters at UEFA or the guys at FIFA at least they will do a better job with it...

bigtruth · Post by **bigtruth** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 4:36 pm

Hayatou and Cameroon are going to rig it, and they will get away with it again....What a shame.

omey2k4 · Post by **omey2k4** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 4:37 pm

LMAO!Funny thang is that U wont find those homless Cameroonians on threads like this.

Ebyboy · Post by **Ebyboy** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 4:38 pm

Let's just wait and see.

shaq · Post by **shaq** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 4:38 pm

Disgusting

MI5 · Post by **MI5** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 4:38 pm

As usual the morons who call themselves Nigeria's representatives at CAF as usual will be blind to all of this shame.....

VINDAVE · Post by **VINDAVE** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 4:41 pm

This is absolute RUBISH. HAYATUO is planning something, I think Adamu and Nigerians better watch out for this 16YEARS CAF THIEF. And look at the way this useless cospirator - Mark Gleeson is reporting the story (last two para). You can see that they are already planning to give it out to their own Etoo. God forbid, why postponing it, they knew Jay Jay recent form will make other voters to vote him overwelmingly. ANYWAY, GOD IS WATCHING!!!

Naija fan · Post by **Naija fan** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 4:47 pm