Sat, 07 Jan 2017 11:56:59 +0000
By GRACE CHAILE -LESOETSA
I AM disappointed that i did not scoop the 2016 African-based player of the year award but I will bounce back, says Chipolopolo captain Rainford Kalaba.
At the 25th CAF awards gala held on Thursday night in Abuja, Nigeria, Kalaba came third with 208 votes as Ugandan goalkeeper Dennis Onyango won the African-based player award with 252 votes while Zimbabwean attacker Billiat Khama was runner-up with 228 votes.
Kalaba was named in the 2016 Africa IX team of the year.
“I was expecting to win the award, but the results are different. The top scorer in the champions’ league is always the winner, that’s what I know. I am hurt but I will bounce back,” he said.
Kalaba said the failure to win the award will not push him down because he has tough assignments this year, including leading Zambia in the search for the 2018 Russia World Cup outing.
“I still have the Champions League and World Cup qualifiers to prove myself. This will not weigh me down,” he said.
The Zambian skipper led Democratic Republic of Congo giants TP Mazembe to the CAF Confederation Cup victory and emerged top scorer of the tournament, scoring a brace in the final.
But his achievement seemed to have not out-done that of Onyango who was instrumental in Mamelodi Sundown’s success to win the CAF Champions League.
He was also a key player in the Ugandan squad that qualified to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations since 1978.
Winners of the Glo_CAF awards include:
African Player of the Year
- Riyad MAHREZ (Algeria & Leicester City) – 361 votes
- Pierre-Emerick AUBAMEYANG (Gabon & Borussia Dortmund) – 313 votes
- Sadio MANE (Senegal & Liverpool) – 186 votes
African Player of the Year – Based in Africa
- Denis ONYANGO (Uganda and Mamelodi Sundowns) – 252 votes
- Khama BILLIAT (Zimbabwe and Mamelodi Sundowns) – 228 votes
- Rainford KALABA (Zambia and TP Mazembe) – 206 votes
Women’s player of the Year
Asisat OSHOALA (Nigeria and Arsenal Ladies)
Most Promising Talent
Kelechi IHEANACHO (Nigeria and Manchester City)
Youth Player of the Year
Alex IWOBI (Nigeria and Arsenal)
Coach of the Year
Pitso MOSIMANE (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Club of the Year
Mamelodi Sundowns
National Team of the Year
Uganda
Women’s National Team of the Year
Nigeria
Referee of the Year
Bakary Papa GASSAMA (Gambia)
Football Leader of the Year
Manuel LOPES NASCIMENTO, President of Guinea Bissau Football Federation
Legend Award
Laurent POKOU – Former player of Cote d’Ivoire
Emilienne MBANGO – Former player of Cameroon
Platinum Award
Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
