With Africa hosting its first ever World Cup this year, I found it imperative to dedicate a column this season to the African stars that have helped set the English Premier League alight. In line with this blog’s theme of predictions, we shall have your word on who should be crowned African player of the year in the EPL.
Ivory Coast’s Didier Drogba and Ghana’s Michael Essein both at Chelsea are traditionally the most recognized African stars in the EPL, but new arrival and BBC African player of the year, Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan at Sunderland would definitely have a say this season.
At 9 goals apiece and level 9th in the league’s top scorers chart, you would have to say that Drogba, Gyan and West Brom’s Peter Odemwingie are the leading African strikers in the league. Other obvious challengers are Morroco’s Marouane Chamakh at Arsenal and Ivory Coast’s Salomon Kalou at Chelsea with 7 league goals each. West Ham’s mid-season Senegalese signing, Demba Ba who has scored 4 league goals in 4 starts has definitely set the second half of the season a light with some breath taking performances and will also have a major say. Other notable African striking stars are Nigeria’s Victor Obinna at West Ham, Victor Anichebe at Everton and Obafemi Martins who famously fired Birmingham to Carling Cup glory, their first trophy since 1963. Malian Mamady Sidibe at Stoke, Zimbabwean Benjani Mwaruwari and Senegalese Mame Diouf on loan at Blackburn as well as South African Benni McCarthy at West Ham are also worth mentioning.
While strikers always take the plaudits, midfield may be the position where Africa presents the league with the best talent. Ivory Coast’s Yaya Toure at Manchester City and Ghana’s Michael Essein at Chelsea are two world class midfielders. Cameroonian Alex Song influential in Arsenal’s title challenge, South African Steven Pienaar playing a key role in Tottenham’s fairytale Champions League campaign and battle for a fourth place league finish, as well as New Castle’s Ivorian Cheik Tiote who scored a famous scorcher of an equalizer in the league’s first ever recovery from a 4 goal deficit in the game against Arsenal, may also have a shout in the race for Africa’s best midfielder in the EPL this season. Other notable African midfield mentions include Sunderland’s loan Egyptian Ahmed Elmohamady and Ghanian Sulley Muntari, Nigeria’s Obi Mikel at Chelsea and Dickson Etuhu at Fulham, Senegalese Abdoulaye Faye and Salif Diao at stoke, Aston Villa’s Togolese Moustapha Salifou and mid-season Cameroonian signing Jean Makoun, as well as West Brom’s Congolese Youssouf Mulumbu and Cameroonian Somen Tchoyia who scored a famous equalizer against United in the only points the league leaders have dropped at home so far.
In the case of defense, Congolese Christopher Samba is probably the epitome of toughness and Blackburn’s most influential player. Cameroonian Benoit Assou-Ekotto at Tottenham is definitely amongst the league’s best left backs and Ghanaian John Mensah is a tower of strength at miserly Sunderland. Until his suspension for a failed drugs test, Ivorian Kolo Toure the former Manchester City skipper completed the list of best African defenders in the EPL. Other notable African defenders in the EPL include Ivory Coast’s Emmanuel Eboue at Arsenal, Steve Gohouri at Wigan and Abdoulaye Meite at West Brom. Ghanaian John Pantsil at Fulham, Congolese Herita Ilunga at West Ham, Senegalese Habib Beye at Aston Villa and Cameroonian George Elokobi who scored a goal as Wolves ended Manchester United’s long unbeaten start to the season.
In the race for this season’s African brightest shining star, there is no doubt that strikers usually take all the headlines and my vote would go to one of the forwards. On current form and especially if he helps West Ham sustain their top flight status, Senegalese Demba Ba would be my pick. Since his arrival, West Ham have clearly been rejuvenated with goals flying in from all over, they play at a very high tempo and would be a match for even the league’s most accomplished opposition. His story of a passionate plea for former club Hoffenheim to release him to fulfill his dream to play in the premier league and rejection by suitors Stoke because of a failed medical, make his an emotional story in which he demonstrates the epitome of resolve.
