MTNFootball.com has specially learnt that Mikel Obi, who helped Chelsea regain the English Premier League crown last season, has failed to make a 17-man list of nominees for the 2010 CAF Player of the Year Award.

Rather it is compatriot Obinna Nsofor, who is at West Ham United on loan from Inter Milan of Italy, who made the list.

The last time a Nigerian won the continent’s biggest individual accolade was in 1999, when Nwankwo Kanu was picked as Africa’s top star. Kanu was also adjudged the continent’s foremost performer in 1996.

The list of nominees is dominated by players from Ghana and the Ivory Coast.

Chelsea ace Michael Essien leads the Ghanaian contingent which also includes Asamoah Gyan, Asamoah Kwadwo and Kevin-Prince Boateng.

Didier Drogba is one of four Ivorians being considered for the award, the others being Salomon Kalou, Gervinho and Kolo Toure.

The other nominees are Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon), Madjid Bougherra (Algeria), Steven Pienaar (South Africa), Mohamed Zidan (Egypt), Frederic Kanoute, Seydou Keita (Mali), Marouane Chamakh (Morocco) and Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo).

The list will be pruned later in the year.

THE NOMINEES
Madjid Bougherra (Rangers/Algeria)
Steven Pienaar (Everton/South Africa)
Samuel Eto’o (Inter Milan/Cameroon)
Kolo Habib Touré (Manchester City/Ivory Coast)
Didier Drogba (Chelsea/Ivory Coast)
Solomon Kalou (Chelsea/Ivory Coast)
Gervinho (Lille/Ivory Coast)
Mohamed Zidan (Dortmund/Egypt)
Michael Essien (Chelsea/Ghana)
Asamoah Gyan (Sunderland/Ghana)
Asamoah Kwadwo (Udinese/Ghana)
Prince Boateng (Milan AC/Ghana)
Frédéric Kanouté (FC Sévilla/Mali)
Seydou Keita (FC Barcelona/Mali)
Marouane Chamakh (Arsenal/Morocco)
Victor Nsofor Obinna (Inter Milan, on loan to West Ham/Nigeria)
Emmanuel Adebayor (Manchester City/Togo)

GNBohr:

If Nsofor, a six-coach reject is on that list then CAF has stripped the award of the remaining credibility it still struggle to possess.

Nsofor could not meet standard of Inter Milan as set by four successive coaches including Roberto Mancini, Jose Mourinho, Rafael Benitez. He was always playing on loan at clubs that did not think twice to send him back to Inter at the end of the loan spell. He could not pin a shirt at his last loan spell in Malaga now he is at another loan spell in Westham.

Adebayor who is now relegated to the bench at star studded Man City is also on the least, to imagine Boughera is there too.

Well, it only go to confirm that Africa has no players to reckon with. Very shameful indeed. The fact that the it is going to be another straight fight between Drogba and Eto'o is a pointer that football is dying in Africa and already in a state of coma in Nigeria.

mama-gee:

Who nominated Keita?

Jarus:

Madam MG, why don't you stay in your celebrity section jeje.

ROCK-J:

dont forget Mikel was out of action in the world cup and Osaze was not impressive at the world cup, but notwithstanding we desrve more nigerian players on the list.

How do they come up with the nominations?

suedoh2006:

What happen to Yakuba? LOL

ddippset:

who could 4get how the bunch of IMBECILES known as CAF gave OKOCHA's award to eto in 2004, gave ABOU TERIKA's award to adebayo in 2008, and gave ETO's award to drogba last year in 2009.  VERY VERY SHAMEFUL PUNKS.

sley4life:

what of Mikel. I tot some folks here said Mikel is the best player 9ja has