AGAIN there is no South African in line for the prestigious African Footballer of the Year award, but three Orlando Pirates players have been nominated for the best Africa-based player.
Lennox Bacela, Daine Klate and Senzo Meyiwa have been included by CAF in a list of 21 nominees for the secondary award for those who play at clubs on the African continent.
It will be whittled down to five finalists and then three at the end of the year, but it is hard to see anyone else but Al Ahly's Mohamed Aboutrika winning the award.
The identities of those who nominate the candidates are unknown but they are likely staff members at CAF headquarters in Cairo.
The award for the best home-based African player also includes Getaneh Kebede of Bidvest Wits for his exploits with Ethiopia in the African Nations Cup finals at the start of the year as well as in the World Cup qualifiers.
The credibility of the CAF awards has long been disputed, ever since 2008 when CAF president Issa Hayatou refused to give the African Footballer of the Year award to Didier Drogba unless he promised to attend the gala ceremony where the winners are revealed.
When he could not make it, it was given instead to Emmanuel Adebayor.
The 2013 awards will be handed out at a function in Lagos on January 9.
The favourite for the African Footballer of the Year is again Yaya Toure of Ivory Coast, who is in line to win it for a third successive year.
The awards are voted for by CAF committee members, as well as the coaches and captains of national teams. Over the last five years, the voting return has been so poor that CAF has not revealed the actual voting tallies.
Bucs trio vie for CAF award
AGAIN there is no South African in line for the prestigious African Footballer of the Year award, but three Orlando Pirates players have been nominated for the best Africa-based player.
Lennox Bacela, Daine Klate and Senzo Meyiwa have been included by CAF in a list of 21 nominees for the secondary award for those who play at clubs on the African continent.
It will be whittled down to five finalists and then three at the end of the year, but it is hard to see anyone else but Al Ahly's Mohamed Aboutrika winning the award.
The identities of those who nominate the candidates are unknown but they are likely staff members at CAF headquarters in Cairo.
The award for the best home-based African player also includes Getaneh Kebede of Bidvest Wits for his exploits with Ethiopia in the African Nations Cup finals at the start of the year as well as in the World Cup qualifiers.
The credibility of the CAF awards has long been disputed, ever since 2008 when CAF president Issa Hayatou refused to give the African Footballer of the Year award to Didier Drogba unless he promised to attend the gala ceremony where the winners are revealed.
When he could not make it, it was given instead to Emmanuel Adebayor.
The 2013 awards will be handed out at a function in Lagos on January 9.
The favourite for the African Footballer of the Year is again Yaya Toure of Ivory Coast, who is in line to win it for a third successive year.
The awards are voted for by CAF committee members, as well as the coaches and captains of national teams. Over the last five years, the voting return has been so poor that CAF has not revealed the actual voting tallies.
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