described Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure as
“selfish”, after the Manchester City star insisted that he
and not Gabonese Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-
Emerick Aubameyang, should have been named the CAF
African Player of the Year for 2015.
The award was decided by votes of coaches and
technical directors from countries under the
Confederation of African Football, With Aubameyand
winning ahead of second-placed Toure and Ghana’s
Andre Ayew, who was third.
Aubameyang, Gabon’s captain had a fantastic outing in
2015, scoring 29 goals. He has already scored 18 goals
in 17 games for Dortmund to emerge leading scorer in
the Bundesliga this season.
But four-time winner Toure said CAF, Africa’s football
governing body, was “indecent” and “pathetic” after
failing to win the award for a fifth successive time at an
elaborate ceremony in Abuja on Thursday.
The 32-year-old Manchester City midfielder said the
decision “brings shame” to the continent, arguing that
he deserved the accolade after captaining his country to
the Africa Cup of Nations title for the first time in 23
years last January.
Toure congratulated Aubameyang but argued that those
voting had placed a higher value on football
achievements outside Africa.
But Udeze said Aubameyang deserved the award,
adding that Toure’s comments smacked of selfishness.
Aubameyang has done very well in the last two seasons
for Dortmund, the records are there for everybody to
see and I think picking him as Africa’s best is a right
choice,” the 2002 World Cup star said.
“Yaya’s comments show he is selfish. He has won the
award in the last four years before he was dethroned.
He must understand that no man can be a champion
forever. He is angry for not winning, which is
understandable for someone who wants to win always
but he needs to control his anger.”
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