Ex-Nigeria Left Back Udeze Tasks Super Eagles Stars On CAF Awards

Former Super Eagles left back Ifeanyi Udeze has admonished current national team players to work hard in the calendar year 2019 to stand a chance of being nominated for next year's CAF Men's African Player of the Year prize.

The Confederation of African Football will Tuesday evening hand out the gong to either Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane or Pierre Emerick Aubameyang with Nwankwo Kanu being the last Nigerian to win the award in 1999.

"Well it's sad that no Nigeria player is nominated for the last three," Udeze who is now a football pundit told allnigeriasoccer.com on Tuesday ahead of the award ceremony in Dakar, Senegal.

"That means Nigeria players need to work hard to be there next year as it is not good that a country of Nigeria's pedigree in African football will not have players nominated for such awards," the onetime West Brom defender stressed.

Alex Iwobi and Ahmed Musa made the cut when the list of nominees were extended while Leicester City's Wilfred Ndidi is one of three nominees for the Young Player of the Year.

In the women's category the duo of Asisat Oshoala and Francisca Ordega will be challenged for the gong by South Africa's Thembi Kgatlana.

Izuchukwu  Okosi