Ayew shortlisted for African Footballer of the Year

Accra , Dec 14, GNA - Ghana’s Andre Dede Ayew has been named among five players shortlisted by the Technical and Media Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to vie for the 2011 African Footballer of the Year award.

Ayew, who shot into prominence with an outstanding performance in the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola and the 2010 Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) in South Africa, has since enjoyed significant progress in his career and is one of the key players for French Ligue One side, Olympique Marseille, his club.

The ultimate award winner, who will be unveiled on Friday, December 23, at the Banquet Hall, State House, Accra, will see Ayew contesting with four time winner, Samuel Eto’o Fills of Cameroon, Seidu Keyta of Mali, Moussa Sow of Senegal and Yaya Toure of Cote d’Ivoire.

The Africa Player of the Year category, which is reserved for players plying their trade on the continent has Esperance and Tunisian player Oussama Darragi, Zouhir Dhaouadi of Club Africain, Tunisia and Cameroonian international Banana Yaya who plays for Esperance Sportive de Tunis, Tunisia who will be seeking to annex the trophy.

Botswana who made their first ever entry into the African Cup of Nations by qualifying with three matches to spare, will compete with Cote d’Ivoire, Niger and Tunisia for the Team of the Year award, whilst Cameroon, Nigeria and South Africa vie for the Women’s National Team of the Year award.

CAF Champions League winners, Esperance Sportive de Tunis –Tunisia, Maghreb Association Sportive of Fez – Morocco and Wydad Athletic Club of Morocco seek to annex the Club of the Year Award.

El Masry’s Ahmed Elshenawy, Souleymane Coulibaly of Cote d’Ivoire and Ahmed Musa of Nigeria will go in for the Most Promising Talent of the Year, with Harouna Doula – Niger, Nabil Maaloul Esperance Sportive de Tunis – Tunisia and Stanley Tshosane Botswana battling for the Coach of the Year.

In the Women’s Footballer of the Year award, Nompumelelo Nyandani of South Africa, Perpetua Nkwocha – Nigeria and Miriam Paixao Silva of Equatorial Guinea will seek for honours in this category, whilst the Referee of the Year Award will be contested for by Alioum Neant – Cameroon, Noumandiez Doue - Cote d’Ivoire and Djamel Haimoudi.

Former Moroccan international Mustapha Hadji and Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha of Nigeria will be honoured with the Legend Award.