With 24 hours to the next Glo CAf Awards, football analysts have been making different permutations with clear-cut justifications on who deserves to wear the crown of African Player of the Year for 2013.
Majority of the opinions however favour Nigerian International and Chelsea Midfielder, John Mikel Obi to win the Award.
The top three nominees for the 2013 Glo CAF Footballer of the year Award were announced last week by Africa’s highest football authority, the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The top three list released includes Nigeria’s Mikel Obi, Cote D’Ivoire’s Yaya Toure and his country mate, Didier Drogba of Galasaray.
Drogba plies his trade with Turkish Club, Galatasaray while, Toure, the defending champion plays for Manchester City. Mikel Obi is a regular feature for Chelsea FC of London.
According to Mohammed Aderibigbe of Precise Sports, Mikel Obi holds the ace having won the African Cup of Nations with the Super Eagles and Europa Cup with Chlesea FC of London.
The same view was corroborated by Sam Smith of Sports Degrees who opined that Mikel deserves the Award due to his exploits with Chelsea FC and the Super Eagles, adding that if Mikel succeeds, Nigeria will be returning to the list of countries producing Glo Caf Award winners since 1999 when Kanu Nwankwo won the Award.
Chris Abraham, a sports pundit however differs in opinion. He is tipping Yahaya Toure for the Award. According to him “Yaya will nick it again, he is the leading contender and the fact that he recently won the BBC African Player of the Year makes him a clear favourite”.
However Sports 24, an on-line Sports Outfit also tipped Mikel Obi outrightly. “ The award goes to Mikel, a regular in Chelsea line up, European – Champions League winner, Europa Cup winner and African Cup of Nations Champion, what else? ”
Who wears the crown? All roads lead to the Convention Centre, Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos on 9th January, 2014 where the king will be crowned.
