Two Super Eagles players have now come close to being named African Player of the Year, and expectations would be heightened the more on Thursday when the winner of the 2014 edition will be announced.
Last year, many Nigerian football fans waited with bated breadth, eagerly anticipating for John Obi Mikel to be named the 2013 Player of the year, however their hopes were dashed as Yaya Toure emerged winner.
This year again, hopes have sprouted up, with Vincent Enyeama now representing the flagship of Nigeria at the awards.
Last year, many Nigerian football fans waited with bated breadth, eagerly anticipating for John Obi Mikel to be named the 2013 Player of the year, however their hopes were dashed as Yaya Toure emerged winner.
This year again, hopes have sprouted up, with Vincent Enyeama now representing the flagship of Nigeria at the awards.
Enyeama is coming up against a formidable opposition in Toure and it is quite obvious that it would be between him and the Ivory Coast international.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the third player on the shortlist, but it is quite apparent that the award should go to either Enyeama or Toure.
No ill-feelings for the Borussia Dortmund striker, there was nothing tangible he did with Gabon in 2014, except for his German club.
So it boils down to Enyeama and Toure because they were both actively involved with their national teams in 2014(The World Cup tournament)
Below,we have outlined five reasons why Enyeama should win the award over Toure.
He had a better World Cup tournament:
If the award is handed out on who had a better World Cup campaign, there is no doubt that Enyeama towers above other contenders.
It was his heroics in the game against Bosnia-Herzegovina that saw Nigeria win their first World Cup match after 16 years.
Recall that superb save against Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko in the closing stages of that game, which denied the Europeans all three points in the match.
Nigeria got to the second round of the tournament, where they were close to forcing an extra time until Paul Pogba's 79th minute header and a subequent own-goal from Joseph Yobo ended the dream.
In contrast, Yaya Toure and his Ivorian team that had superstars couldn't even get of their group, despite being tipped as a dark horse in the competition.
BBC African Player of the Year Award:
It might not mean much, but Enyeama raked in more votes than Yaya Toure did in the BBC African Player of the Year Awards.
Enyeama finished second only behind Algeria's Yacine Brahimi who pipped him to the award.
So, it can be interpreted that Enyeama has done better than Toure in the year in question for him to have finished higher than him in the BBC APOTY.
And since Brahimi who defeated him in the BBC APOTY is not in the running for the CAF awards, Enyeama surely deserves this honours.
He single-handedly saves the Super Eagles:
Mention the best player for the Super Eagles in recent times and all pointers would be directed at the Lille FC shot-stopper.
Enyeama has on his own rescued Nigeria on numerous occasions, and his teammates can attest to his attributes.
For example, in the game against Congo in Pointe Noire last year, it was his immaculate saves that saw Nigeria win a crucial encounter.
Yes you might say that the Super Eagles did not qualify for the 2015 Nations Cup tournament, but many people have argued that if Enyeama had been in goal when Nigeria played Congo in Calabar, maybe they wouldn't have lost that game by as much as 3-2.
His exploits with Lille FC:
Enyeama had a fantastic 2013/2014 football season with Lille FC which brought him to reckoning in France.
He finished last season with 21 clean sheets more than any other goalkeeper managed in the French Ligue 1, going on an extended run as the person with the longest minutes played without conceding a goal in France.
Enyeama last season won an award as the best African player playing in France, becoming the first goalkeeper to win it.
He also was named as the best goalkeeper in France for 2014 by respected Newspaper, L'equipe.
And it was his game saving heroics for Lille FC, that saw them qualify for a place to be in Europe this season.
Won't be bad for a goalkeeper win the award:
The whole cameras pan mainly on the outfield players who attracts more glitterati, with the goalkeepers unfairly sidelined.
Keepers do enormous work, and keeping out opposition attackers is by no means an easy task.
Sometimes they seem to be unfairly acknowledged and not given adequate credit where due.
Which explains why former national team goalkeepers, Joseph Dosu and Abiodun Baruwa are both rooting for Enyeama to be named African Player of the Year.
“We know how difficult it has been in the past for goalkeepers to win the award even now the odd is still against goalkeepers winning the award," Dosu was quoted as saying by Supersports.com
“If the award is strictly based on excellent performance and not on mundane or specific whether the player is an attacker, defender, goalkeeper or midfielder I strongly believe that Enyeama stands over 90% chance of winning the award.
Baruwa on his part backed Enyeama to win the award, at least for the sake of goalkeeper.
"When you look at history not to many goalkeepers have been selected as nominees in the final three. But with Vincent Enyeama’s selection I believe its a good sign for the trade especially when you consider what Vincent has done for his club and the country in the year under review,"Baruwa told footballlive.ng
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Enyeama's achievements are quite glaring and all these stands in testament of what a player he has turned out to be.
Yaya Toure is a great player no doubt, but devoid of sentiments and when properly scrutinized who should win the award, Enyeama towered above him with the year 2014 being the focal point.
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