Nominees for African Footballer of the year

Ghana : Emmanuel Kuffour (Hearts Of Oak, Ghana), Peter Ofori-Quaye (Olympiakos, Greece), Samuel Kuffuor (B,Munich, Germany), S. Appiah (Parma, Italy).

Algeria : Abdelhamid Tasfaout (En Avant Guingamp, France).

B. Faso:Ismael Koudou (Burkina Faso, Asfa, Ouagadougou).

Cameroon : Lauren Etame Mayer (Arsenal, England), Samuel Eto’o Fils (Real Majorca, Spain), Patrick Mboma (Parma, Italy), Geremi Fotso Njitap (Real Madrid, Spain), Samuel Olembe (F.C. Nantes, France).

C?te D’Ivoire: Paul Bonaventure Kalou (Feyenoord, Holland). Egypt :Hossam Hassan (Zamalek, Egypt), Hany Ramzy (Kaizerslauten,Germany.
Morocco : Nouredine Naybet (Deportivo La Coruna, Spain), Adil Ramzy(Psv Eindhoven, Holland), Saber Abdelilah (Napoli, Italy).

Nigeria : Ike Shorunmu (Besiktas Istanboul, Turkey), Nwankwo Kanu (Arsenal, England), Julius Aghahowa (Esp?rance, Tunisie).

Rd Congo : Shabani Nondo(As Monaco, France).
S?n?gal : Henri Camara (Neuch?tel Xamax, Switzerland), Kalilou Fadiga (Fc Brugges).

South Africa: Siyabonga Nomvete (Kaizer Chiefs, Johannesburg), Shaun Bartlett ( F.C. Zurich, Swizerland).
Tunisia : Zyad Jaziri (Etoile Sportive Du Sahel, Tunisie), Radhi Jaidi (Esp?rance Sportive De Tunis, )

Who Will Be African Footballer of the Year?
If recent history is a reliable guide, when the Confederation of African Football announces the African Footballer of the Year on December 2, the winner will be a midfielder or an attacker who plays his club football in Europe.

Every year, fans across Africa pose the same question: why is it that the highest individual honor in the African game seems never to go to defenders, goalkeepers, or those who ply their trade at home? The last defender to win the title was Bwanga of the then Zaire in 1974, and the last goalkeeper was Thomas Nkono of Cameroon.

It is true the world over that as strikers and playmakers catch the eye, the unsung heroes of football are most often the last lines of defence. The keeper comes into his own when there's a penalty shoot-out to be negotiated, but the rest of the time a goal scored is almost always better remembered than a goal saved.

As to the country, it may seem unfair that the home-based boys are passed over year after year, but the sad fact is that for the past two decades almost all of Africa's best footballers have been tempted into the professional game abroad.

There are exceptions, above all in north Africa and the far south. But given the poor wages on offer at home, who wouldn't want to tempt their luck in the European game? And anyway, with African domestic leagues so little televised away from home, it is often easier for the judges to see a European-based player in action.

CAF's criteria for the award, which is voted by members of the CAF technical and media committees, are these:

* The player's performance nationally and internationally;

* His sports achievements;

* His charisma and influence;

* His popularity;

* His impact on the team and influence on the game.

Once again, the vast majority of players on the CAF shortlist for 2000 are overseas based, with only seven of the 27 plying their trade at home.

They include Hossam Hassan, whose two decades' distinguished service of Egyptian football must surely place him among the favourites, even if he has not had a particularly good year. Defenders make a reasonably good showing this year, too, with Ghana's Samuel Osei Kuffour and Nigerian goalkeeper Ike Shorunmu both on the shortlist.

For the last two years, Nigeria's Nwankwo Kanu has been the chosen one. But the year 2000 has belonged to Cameroon. The Indomitable Lions started their millennium by winning a Nations Cup final in Lagos against the hosts. They went on to Olympic glory on the other side of the world. It would be a surprise if one of them did not reap the big prize.

All will be revealed on December 2nd.