African footballer of the year: Amuneke, Lawal drum support for Moses

Former Super Eagles striker, Emmanuel Amuneke and  midfielder Garba Lawal have tipped Chelsea star, Victor Moses to win the 2017 African Football of the year award billed for January 4 in Accra, Ghana.

Moses is one of the 30 players that have been   lised by CAF for the senior category of the award, which features the likes of Mohammed Saleh of Egypt, Pierre-Emerick Aubemayang of Gabon, Sadio Mane of Senegal,  Bertrand Traore of Burkina Faso, among others including Super Eagles defender William Troost-Ekong. Amuneke who won the award in 1994 said though all the players on the list have done well in the season in question, Moses had a remarkable year.

“Moses has had a remarkable 2017, evolving as an all-round player, recall he used to be a winger, then he became a wing-back,” Amuneke said. Lawal known for his hard tackling play and ability to disrupt opponents’ build ups during his days adduced Moses that  is a great athlete. “Victor Moses is a great athlete who has proved to the whole world that he has what it takes. “We just have to wait for CAF to announce the final shortlist and we will take it from there, but I am confident he can go ahead and win the award.”

Moses was outstanding ing his club’s win of the 2017 English Premiership tittle and also played a prominently role in the Super Eagles qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, in a group, which the Super Eagles were given an outside chance to win. Moses who was more of a striker was converted to a wing-back by Chelsea coach Antonio Conte, and Moses rose to the challenge to play some of the greatest football of his career. Nwankwo Kanu was the last Nigerian star to win it in 1999. Rashidi Yekini  and Victor Ikpeba are the other winners. Vanguard