2022 CAF Awards: Simon, Amoo Out as final shortlists unveiled

Last updated Jul 12, 2022

Super Eagles’ duo of Moses Simon and Akinkunmi Amoo failed to make the final nominees for the men’s categories of the 2022 CAF Awards.

Nantes winger Simon and Amoo of FC Copenhagen were the only Nigerians in the original shortlist released by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on June 30 but the duo was missing as the continental soccer ruling body revealed the final list of Africa’s top performers on Monday.

While Simon was earlier listed for the Player of the Year award, Amoo was listed for the Young Player of the Year award.

However, the final list has reigning CAF African Player of the Year Sadio Mane (Senegal and Bayern Munich) while there are also former winners Riyad Mahrez (Algeria and Manchester City) and Mohamed Salah (Egypt and Liverpool).

One of the highly contested categories is the CAF Coach of the Year, where Aliou Cisse (Senegal), Pitso Mosimane (Al Ahly), Carlos Queiroz (Egypt), Tom Saintfiet (The Gambia) and Walid Regragui have made the final cut.

The Player of the Year and Interclub Player of the Year categories have 10 nominees each.

The Young Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, National Team of the Year and Club of the Year categories have five nominees each.

The winners of each category will be decided by a voting panel which will include CAF Technical Committee members, and selected media professionals.

The panel will also have Head Coaches and Captains of Member-Associations and clubs involved at the group stage of the Interclub competitions for the 2021/22 season.

The CAF Awards will be held in Rabat, Morocco on 21 July, 2022.

The Nation/Temitope Obisesan