Chelsea pair Didier Drogba and Michael Essien have been included in
the final three-man shortlist for the 2009 Africa Player of the
Year award.
Ivory Coast striker Drogba and Ghana midfielder Essien are
joined by Inter Milan forward Samuel Eto'o in the race for the
annual prize, which was won by Manchester City's Emmanuel Adebayor
in 2008.
Essien, who is nominated for a fourth consecutive year, is
yet to claim the award, while Drogba won it in 2006.
Eto'o, meanwhile, was named best player three times in a row
between 2003 and 2005.
African Nations Cup finalists Ghana are contenders for
several other awards, including the continent's team of the year,
where they are vying with Algeria and Ivory Coast.
The Black Stars also have a Young Player of the Year
contender in Dominic Adiyiah of AC Milan, who will be up against
South African Kermit Erasmus of Feyenoord and Nigeria's Sani
Emmanuel from Bodens BK.
Ghanaian Under-20 World Cup-winning boss Sellas Tetteh has
been nominated for the Coach of the Year award along with Diego
Garzitto, who guided DR Congo's club side TP Mazembe to the CAF
Champions League title last season, and Nigeria Under-17 chief John
Obuh.
Mazembe are also in the race for the best African club of
2009, where they face competition from Nigerian outfit Heartland FC
and Mali's Stade Malien.
Mazembe captain Mputu Mabi is chasing the best African-based
prize along with Uche Agba of Heartland and Abdelmalek Ziaya, who
plays for Entente Setif in Algeria.
The winners of the awards will be named at a ceremony to be
held in the Ghanaian capital Accra on March 11.
