On Wednesday the ten nominees for 2011 African Player of the Year were announced. Many Premier League footballers you’d expect to make the list did, including Chelsea striker Didier Drogba and Arsenal forward Gervinho, Manchester City’s Yaya Toure and African football legend Samuel Eto’o. However, one man who failed to make the list was Newcastle’s revelation last season Cheik Tiote. To make this omission even worse and put it into context, Sunderland flop Asamoah Gyan did make the top ten!
Cheik Tiote is one of two African footballers helping Newcastle’s surge into the top four this season. Alongside Demba Ba, Tiote will be sorely missed when the African Cup of Nations takes place early next year and I cannot believe that there have been ten African players who have played better than him over the past 12 months and I think Gyan’s inclusion justifies my thoughts.
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Ever since he arrived at St James’ Park, Cheik Tiote has been simply awesome. His tenacity in the middle of the park has become invaluable to Newcastle and he always ensures that the opposition’s midfield pair or trio will be in a battle over the course of the 90 minutes. As well as getting stuck in and doing the dirty work, his ball retention is also good once he’s won it back.
For Cheik to be overlooked for Asamoah Gyan is something of an insult. This purely must be down to reputation and performances in previous years, as the striker who set the 2010 World Cup alight has been in something of a rut over the past 6 months. This has culminated in Gyan moving to UAE club Al Ain on loan for the remainder of the season, with both club and player seemingly happy to take the money.
Even if the African Player of the Year selectors can’t see it, us Newcastle fans know that Cheik is a top, top player. He’s key to Newcastle’s efforts this season and will be central to Ivory Coast’s trophy ambitions in February. I wouldn’t swap Cheik Tiote for Asamoah Gyan in a million years and any truthful Sunderland fan would say the same thing.
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