Gyan deserves the CAF player of the year award – Afranie

Ahead of tonight’s CAF awards in Cairo, former national coach, Emmanuel Kwesi Afranie says considering Asamoah Gyan’s performance at the 2010 African Cup of Nations and World Cup, he deserves the award for this year’s African Footballer of the year.

This comes after the Ghanaian striker was awarded the BBC African Footballer for the year 2010 last Friday.

The veteran coach noted that: “this is his year, this is his time and I think he deserves it. Initially it was tough for him but I think that this is the year for Asamoah Gyan.”

“In this year’s African Cup of Nations held in Angola, he did well. At the World Cup too, representing Ghana that is on behalf of Africa, he also did well so I won’t be surprised if they give it to him.”

Out of the three nominees, the one who will emerge as winner is expected to be voted for by coaches and captains of Africa’s 53 national teams and coach Afranie thinks “Gyan has nothing to fear if it comes to securing votes from his country because he served his country and coach well, both at the African Cup of Nations and World Cup.”
“Gyan made all of Africa proud. But for that unfortunate penalty he missed, I think he would have carried the team and for that matter Africa for the first time to the semis.”

Explaining further, Coach Afranie added that the two other players, Drogba and Samuel Eto, who were also nominated, don’t stand a chance since the awards was not based on only club performance.

“We are talking of African Best Player and Drogba and Eto both didn’t do well at the African Cup of Nations.”

This year has been an eventful one for the 25-year-old and all odds are he will emerge as 2010 CAF player of the year.