Dedey’s loss

Good observation. I had similar thoughts while watching on TV (strangely I didn’t have the urge to attend the event as I did the two previous times it was staged in Ghana) but I must conclude the programme was better packaged than previous editions. And for both CAF and Glo, the FIFA Ballon d’Or awards must be the benchmark, even though I must concede that in Africa music plays a key part of celebrations of any sort.

Hopefully, George Andah’s presence at Glo Mobile Ghana will help raise the bar many notches higher.

Back to the awards itself. While as a Ghanaian I was surprised Dede Ayew did not win the ultimate prize, I concede Yaya Toure is a legit African Footballer of the Year, one who won’t leave many people scratching their heads coming to terms with the qualify of African football’s number one ambassador for 2011.

It’s such an irony that fans (who vote for the BBC best player) on one hand and the CAF technical committee/media committee and national coaches on the other hand spin on different orbits and see things differently in the choice of African football’s best ambassador. But such is the nature of such contests. Hopefully, there will be more transparency in the manner CAF organises its awards (I must say I have no reason to suspect anything fishy or meaty in spite of my suspicion of the 2001 results that robbed Sammy Kuffour of his crowning moment).

In terms of silverware of achievements, Seydou Keita stands tall but he was not key to Barcelona’s dominance in world football in 2011 and his influence in the national team was not very significant because he retired from the team and only returned when the Nations Cup qualifiers was all but wrapped up. However, Toure was “massive” for Man City and Cote d’Ivoire just as Dede became key to Marseille’s successes.

While I’m not a fan of our rich and noisy neighbours (Man City), Yaya has been a class act in that expensively-assembled side and proved he deserves to be the highest earning player in the English Premiership… he’s worth every pound paid by the Qataris and probably the key man for Cote d’Ivoire now with Didier Drogba at the twilight of his career.

For me Dede spent 2010 and the first quarter of 2011 emerging out of his dad’s shadows and pulling himself by his bootstrap. Now he’s by far Marseille’s best player and one of Ghana’s key figure going into the future.

Disappointed he was, but the biggest consolation is that he has age on his side, and looking at his rate of improvement he would soon dominate the game the way Abedi did in his heyday. I’m pretty certain of that because Dede not only has talent but also has a strong character, desire to be the driver and not the mate, and admirable leadership qualities which he needs to succeed in future.

Going into the 2012 Nations Cup, Dede will be key to our fortunes (in CAN 2010 it was an opportunity to prove himself; now he’s an established star) and his garden already looks very green.

Congrats Yaya, better luck next time Dede.

My thoughts…

well, i was listening on radio and i could tell the sudden shock that went through Ghana when Dede got the 3rd place. He definitely deserved better.

Many are those who however believe the award was given to Yaya Toure because Dede is just 21 and the future looks bright for him.

Dede, do not loose hope. As the General has said. Greater things await you.

Andre is a gifted footballer by all standards and its my prayer he lives his soccer potential to the fullest for the lovers of the beautiful game to celebrate with him when his time of glory comes.
For me; coming third on the African continent at his age from the galaxy of soccer stars that our beloved continent boasts of is a huge achievement.

You have always been a winner and you still are a winner “Footballer Dede”

Keep keeping on baby Pele.