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Borussia Dortmund ace Aubameyang beats Man City legend Toure to African award
Posted On Jan 08 2016
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Toure won the award four years in succession prior to seeing Borussia Dortmund striker Aubameyang break his streak, a decision he described to RFI’s Felix Sohounde Peperipe as a “shame to Africa”, (h/t Sport Witness).
The Gabon worldwide was voted African Player Of The Year last night, just edging out Yaya Toure of Manchester City.
The 26-year old was crowned ahead of Manchester City’s Yaya Toure, who was the the first runner-up of the big award while Ghana and Swansea forward, Andre Ayew, was the third of the nominees. “I think this, it brings shame on Africa”, said Toure to Radio France Internationale after the event. “Like I’m often told, you shouldn’t worry too much about Africa because Africa will be the first to let you down”. But what can we do about it?
T.P. Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo won the African Inter-Club Team of the Year award, among other honorary winners at the ceremony. We focus more outside our own continent.
“Even FIFA, with all its history of corruption, wouldn’t do this”.
My answer would be; CIV were not the best team but the collective caliber of the players in the team took them to the finish line, of which Yaya was a part but not the most important! “I don’t want to go to Arsenal”.
“I will have to work, I will have to work a lot”, he said.
“I would like to congratulate the Ivory Coast Federation because they believed in me and I dedicate this trophy to all the people around the world from Ivory Coast because it was an unbelievable victory for us, after 23 years they were waiting this trophy”.
And there were more negative headlines this week when the 32-year-old made it clear he was unhappy at missing out on a fifth straight African Footballer of the Year award.
“But I have the qualities to be there again next year”.
Perhaps Toure is correct to pinpoint a player’s domestic achievements as critical to the voting process, but then one might question why the CAF has a separate Player of the Year award for those based in Africa.
“I am disappointed but that won’t take anything from anybody”.
