Adebayor and two Chelsea players in short list for African Player of the Year

By Aries

A shortlist of five has been released by the Confederation of African Football for African Player of the Year.

It consists of Emmanuel Adebayor of Arsenal and Togo along with Chelsea’s Michael Essien and Didier Drogba, who was also last year’s winner and Mali internationals Fredi Kanoute and Mamadou Diarra of Sevilla and Real Madrid in Spain.

The winner of the award will be announced at the annual African Footballer of the Year awards in Lome Togo on February 1.

Essien, who was third in the last two polls, will be hoping to be third time lucky this time after a season in which he was one of Chelsea’s best performers.

Emmanuel Adebayor, a Togolese international, will be hoping to beat Essien to the title. He told Ghana TV station TV3 that he will be thrilled to be named the winner of the award in his home town.

“I have always dreamt about that, he said. I will be happy to wear an African cloth or a suit and a tie and walk up the podium to pick up that honour. I am confident in my talent and know if I don’t do it this year, I will do it some other time,” he said.

The winner of the award will be chosen from the shortlist by 53 African coaches.