Ex international, Patrick Pascal believes Super Eagles trio of Kelechi Iheanacho, Mikel Obi and Ahmed Musa would need ‘mother-luck’ to win the CAF African Player of the Year Award..
The award which is slated for Abuja on 5th, January will see the Super Eagles stars contend with twenty seven other African players such as Algeria duo of Riyad Mehrez and Islam Slimani, Ghana’s Andre Ayew, Cameroon with Samuel Eto O and Gabon’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to mention a few.
Mikel was outstanding for the Nigeria Under-23 team when they won the bronze medal at the Rio Olympic Games Men’s football event while Musa helped CSKA Moscow clinch the Russian league title before joining Premier League champions, Leicester City this summer.
On his part, Iheanacho had a brilliant season with Manchester City where he netted 11 goals in all competitions and has been showing flashes of genius this ongoing season with some of his goals.
Although Mikel, Iheanacho and Musa deserve their nomination for the award, Pascal told Soccernet.com.ng that he doesn’t think the any of the trio would win the CAF Award.
“It is a good thing that we have the players such as Mikel Obi, Kelechi Iheanacho and Ahmed Musa being nominated for the CAF Award. At least if you are to rate them by their performances with their respective clubs in England; you will agree with me that they deserve their nomination,” Pascal told Soccernet.com.ng.
“However, I doubt if they can win the prestigious award because they are going against some of the best players in Africa such as Riyad Mehrez and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who have been hitting the headlines with goals for both club and country. It will take mother-luck for them for them to win the award come January 5th, 2017 in Abuja.”
