Do not also forget that Troost Ekong won the best player of the AFCON hosted in Ivory coast. Meanwhile, congratulations to both Troost Ekong and Ademola Lookman. No doubt Lookman had a fantastic season both in the Nation and in the club where he made a history in the Europa league finals against Bayern Leverkusen.
Saying about Boniface, he would have been here assuming he played the AFCON. There's no how he would be nominated when he didn't play even the group matches of AFCON.
I like it that the first consideration is now going to African players that are doing well in the national team and not those are just doing well for thier clubs and forming that they are sick when it comes to playing for the national league. The selection is accurate and for the likes of Jackson, salah, kudus and aubameyang who feels they deserve to make it to the names of those that are nominated, it should send a clear message that you have to take African football as serious as you take your club side football. You can't give in your all to your club side and fall to show your presence at the national level and expect that you will get nominated because of your club side performance. Victor Boniface is our own and we desire he gets norminated but it's still okay this way. If he steps up at the eagles in this coming AFCON then he can expect his name to get listed in the next nomination.
We need to win this men player of the year because obviously, the women player of the year is not coming to Nigeria again.
I also love that CAF used the AFCON as a criteria to be nominated for the CAF Best Player of the Year Award. I think it’s a good one, a player shouldn’t win an African award just because he won the UEFA Champions, English Premier League or some international league trophy. I believe this move by CAF will make African players be more motivated to give their all when they come home to play for their national team. It is annoying when your favorite players cannot replicate their club football performances in their national teams.