Ayew not shattered by CAF snub

Ghana midfielder Andre Ayew says he is not shattered not to have made the final cut for the CAF African Player of the Year Award.

The 22-year-old was hoping to emerge king of African football at the second successive time of asking after being named in an initial five-man shortlist.


He was however overlooked for the prestigious personal accolade as the Ivorian duo of Yaya Toure and Didier Drogba were the preferred candidates alongside Cameroonian Alexander Song.


Ayew’s snub has drawn a lot of criticisms over the credibility of the awards especially with the emergence of Song who won absolutely nothing with his club and failed to help Cameroon qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.


Many believe the Olympique Marseille player deserved the spot more than the Barcelona benchwarmer.


But the second son of Ghana legend Abedi Pele says he is not disappointed with his omission especially with the missed opportunity to win it before his home crowd.

“I am not disappointed at all, remember I am just 22,” he told GHANAsoccernet.com.


“I have more years ahead of me and I believe I will be back there again.”


Though enduring a thoroughly disappointing season last term with his French club, Ayew was one of the few bright spots in the Ghana team that placed fourth at the last AFCON in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.


His two goals in that tournament out of a total five made him joint top scorer of the side alongside then-captain John Mensah.


The 2009 U-20 World Cup winner has however started the current season in explosive fashion for Marseille who are now just two points behind Ligue 1 leaders Olympique Lyon.