2009 AFRICAN PLAYER OF THE YEAR!!!!!

Its all over and we now know that Yves Didier Drogba defied stiff opposition from Eto'o and Essien to grab the 2009 African player of the year title awarded by CAF barely two(2) months after the BBC world service gave a strong signal by crowning him African best player of the year on the 10th of January 2010!
Here below, are arguments for Eto'o and Drogba.....please find time to read through and see for yourself where you align!

Have a great weekend celebrating Africa's talents!!!



Why I'd vote for Drogba


He's petulant, controversial but a great player and that's why BBC Fast Track's Mohamed Fajah Barrie is rooting for Didier Drogba.

I would vote for Drogba because of his consistency in scoring vital goals - goals which have made the difference for both Chelsea and Ivory Coast.

He doesn't just score goals - he creates them for his team mates too.


Undoubtedly Didier Drogba has had a remarkable year. Over the past 12 months, the Chelsea and Ivory Coast striker has proved, once again, that he is central to the ambitions of both club and country.

He has shown that, when on form, there are few goalscorers who can match him in terms of power, vision and persistence. And he has demonstrated, all too publicly, that he can be arrogant and rude.

He has strength and power, but he has grace and guile too. He has the ability to unleash a rocket of a shot, but can also provide a delicate and decisive touch.

Petulant but great

He is fabulous to watch and he is the main reason why Chelsea are currently leading the Premier league table this season.

So now to the downside - Drogba's amazing talent is paired with a fiery temper and a petulance which does him no credit.

His expletive fuelled rant about the referee, following Chelsea's elimination from the last season's Champions League, live into a television camera, was seen by millions – and a three match ban swiftly followed.

Despite his obvious strength he still has a reputation among fans and media for going to ground too easily and recently was booked in a game against Manchester United for diving despite being getting a boot in the chest.

Good or bad, it is impossible to ignore Didier Drogba and he deserves his place on the shortlist for BBC African Footballer of the year!







Why I'd vote for Samuel Eto'o

I would vote for Samuel Eto'o because the Cameroonian always represents his teams with ambition and pride.

His goal tally is virtually second to none and even after Barcelona tried to sell him in the European summer of 2007, the wiry striker responded with little animosity and great character by displaying his worth on the field.


In just 36 league games Eto'o found the back of the net a whacking 30 times, while his half dozen in the Champions League included one to help see off Manchester United in the final.

After being compared to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the man for whom he was swapped between Barca and Inter Milan, Eto'o settled matters at his first press conference in typically punchy fashion.

"I'm Samuel Eto'o and don't want to compare myself to anyone. I believe the victories I have earned up to now can contribute to giving the right value to my name," he said.

And at international level, his reputation has rarely been higher.

He has been an impressive leader of Cameroon and assumed the captaincy of the Indomitable Lions smoothly and promptly.

He helped steering the 'Germans' of the continent from disaster to triumph in World Cup qualifying.

His nomination among Fifa's 23-man shortlist for the 2009 World Footballer of the Year is thus richly deserved.

And in a time of footballing mercenaries, it's pleasing to think the lithe striker is talking about ending his career with Spanish side Real Mallorca, where his European odyssey really took off.

Finally, it's hard to believe that Eto'o's cabinet locker shines with Olympic, Champions League and Nations Cup medals - but still no BBC African Footballer of the Year award