BY MONICA IHEAKAM
Africa Women’s Cup of Nations winning coach, Florence Omagbemi, Kelechi Iheancho , Asisat Oshoala and Alex Iwobi , have been shortlisted for the 2016 Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) awards.
CAF on Sunday released the other nominees for the other categories for the 2016 Glo -CAF awards with Nigeria in contention for six of the awards.
Omagbemi, the first player to win the Women Africa Cup of Nations as captain and coach, contests for Coach of the Year prize alongside DR Congo’s Florent Ibenge, Milutin Sredojevic of Uganda , Nacer Sandjak (MO Bejaia ) and Pitso Mosimane (Mamelodi Sundowns).
For the Women Player of the Year crown, 2014 winner Oshoala, will battle with South Africa’s Janine Van Wyk, Cameroon’s duo of Gabrielle Onguene, Raissa Feudjlo Tchanyo and Ghana’s Elizabeth Addo for the diadem.
Kelechi Iheanacho, who has enjoyed a superb season with Manchester City, is listed for the Most Promising Talent’s prize with compatriot Oghenekaro Etebo, Egypt’s Ramadan Sobhi and DR Congo’s Elia Meschak.
Iwobi will face a stiff challenge in Cote d’Ivoire’s Frank Kessie, Ghana’s Eric Ayiah, Mali’s Sidiki Maiga and Ghana women’s Sandra Owusu-Ansah for the Youth Player of the Year honour. Nigeria’s Super Falcons will battle for Women’s Team of the Year with Cameroon, Ghana, South Africa and Zimbabwe, while Nigeria’s U23 team, bronze winners at the Olympics, will tug with DR Congo (CHAN winners), Senegal, Guinea Bissau and Uganda (the last two for qualifying for 2017 AFCON)
The winners will be decided by votes from the CAF Technical & Development, Media Committees and a panel of 20 experts (Journalists, TV consultants) except Fair Play, Legend and Platinum awards, which are not subject to vote. For this year, there will be no votes for the Youth National Team of the Year.
Meanwhile, the Referee of the Year will be voted only by the CAF Referees Committee. The winners will be announced at the Glo-CAF Awards Gala scheduled for Thursday, January 5, 2017 in Abuja, Nigeria.