Mikel Should Have Won It

By Azeez Said Since I have resumed to school, I have not really had much time to go through football news but it will be a criminal offence if I didn't follow up the CAF awards that was held in Nigeria yesterday. Most Nigerians would have been disappointed about the outcome of the awards as I am even aggrieved as we wanted and expected Mikel to win the CAF player of the year award. Though Nigeria swept most of the awards winning 6 of the 11 categories in the football awards and we rightfully did cos we deserved it. Nigeria dominated the past year in African football except at club level. As you already know, I am not a fan of personal awards cos I see football as a team effort and not as an individual effort but even if individual awards are going to be continually given, it has to go to a player that has used his form,goals assists or brilliance to help his/her team to achieve set goals, basically trophies. Obviously, out of the last 3 standing candidates for the CAF player of the year award, only one of them has done that to a satisfying level, Mikel. Mikel was a vital player for Chelsea in their Europa League winning campaign as he was more vital for Nigeria to win the Africa Nations cup and qualifying for the World cup. Neither Yaya Toure nor Didier Drogba hit such height in the past football year, even getting defeated by a Mikel led Nigeria team in the quarter finals of the Africa nations cup. I am not going to take anything away from the eventual winner, Yaya Toure, who I call the mitochondria of Manchester city. He has been phenomenal for Manchester city but the same can't be said at international level. He is strong, a good passer of the ball and a good free kick taker but that I don't think is enough for a CAF player of the year winner. There has to be something to show for it. I am not going to say much about Didier Drogba cos I didn't see him as a threat to either of Yaya Toure or Obi Mikel winning the award. He should do with the ones he has won. Anyway, bygone is bygone and this year promises to be another successful year in Nigeria football and I hope you can see more of me with the little time I have to spare.