The Publisher and Awards Director of New African Soccer, ‘Tunde Adelakun, has announced the shortlist for the April English Premier League African Player of the Month award with Super Eagles and Chelsea player, John Mikel Obi missing out. This is in continuation of the awards programme that is being done in partnership with social diaspora organisation, Africans Abroad Recognised (AAR).
In a statement, Adelakun announced Crystal Palace’s DR Congo forward Yannick Bolasie, Hull City’s Senegalese striker Dame N’doye and Chelsea’s Ivorian Didier Drogba in the shortlist.
Adelakun, who called on media colleagues to take an active part in the voting/selection process, stated that the Awards have been an immense success and “the appreciation showed by the awardees has given encouragement to us to continue the good work we are doing, which is recognising and celebrating our stars who are performing in the Premier League”.
Given a brief background on the shortlisted players, the Director said, “Yannick Bolasie has had a good April. The hat trick away to Sunderland showed just how much he could do, and how much potential he has. He has performed well in the month and deserves his place on the shortlist”.
On Dame N’doye, Adelakun said, “N’doye has settled well in the League, and his performance belies his age and relative inexperience in England. He has been unlucky not to have won the award this far. But his efforts are noted and applauded”.
The choice of Didier Drogba might have come as a surprise to many, but Adelakun, who is fast being reputed for his passion for “celebrating the past in the present to inspire the future” said “Drogba has rewritten the books of age in football. He is 37 years old, and has started and played full 90 minute matches for a high intensity team like Chelsea, three times in a row this month. Although he has lost his sharp edge and pace, the fact that his body is carrying him to do this feat at that age, as a main striker, is laudable and worthy of mention”.
The statement ended with a call on the public and media colleagues to continue to follow the events, give their opinion and, in the words of Adelakun, “give the end to the season a climax that would usher in a more colourful awards programme in the coming season”.