Black Stars and West Ham United attacking midfielder, Mohammed Kudus, will battle three others for the ‘Footballer of the Year’ accolade at the sixth Ghana Football Awards scheduled to take place at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) on June 29.
This was disclosed at the launch and nominee announcement for the event, organised by Football Impact Africa and held at the Big Leagues Sports and Games Lounge at Osu on Wednesday.
Mr Karl Tufuoh, Chairman of the awards’ board, said Kudus last year’s winner of the award, will face stiff competition from Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, Athletic Bilbao’s striker, Inaki Williams, and Red Star Belgrade midfielder, Osman Bukari.
On the same stage, Comfort Yeboah of Ampem Darkoa Ladies battle her teammate Ophelia Amponsah, Mukarama Abdulai of Hasaacas Ladies, Jennifer Kankam of ZED FC in Egypt, and Bridget Adu of TUT FC in Egypt for the women’s version of the award.
According to him, the Coach of the Year awards will be a contest between Karim Zito of Dreams FC, Desmond Offei of the Black Satellites, Nurudeen Amadu of Samartex FC, and Kassim Mingle of Nations FC.
Coach Yussif Bassigi of Hasaacas Ladies and Black Princesses’s Nora Hauptle of the Black Queens, and Nana Joe Darkwah of Ampem Darkoa Ladies will battle for the title of women’s
coach of the year.
The Black Satellites, Dreams FC and Samartex FC are expected to vie for the Male Team of the Year award with Black Princesses, Army Ladies, Ampem Darkoa Ladies, and Hasaacas Ladies going for the female version.
The Male Home-based Footballer of the Year nominees are Abdul Aziz Issah (Dreams FC), Steven Mukwala (Asante Kotoko), Stephen Amankona (Berekum Chelsea), Emmanuel Keyekeh (Samartex FC), and Evans Osei Wusu (Samartex FC), while Hasaacas Ladies striker, Mukarama Abdulai, battles Ampem Darkoa Ladies duo, Ophelia Amponsah and Comfort Yeboah, for the female version.
Other awards on the night will see Benjamin Asare (Great Olympics), Emmanuel Kobi (Bofoakwa Tano), Felix Kyei (Medeama SC), and Kofi Baah (Samartex) vie for Goalkeeper of the Season.
Abdul Aziz Issah (Dreams FC), Jerry Afriyie (Thoughts FC), Theophilus Ayamga (3rd World FC), and Mark Mensah Kagawa (Attram De Visser) would also be up for the ‘Odartey Lamptey Future Star’ award.
Other awards on the evening includes Ghanaian club CEO/administrator, Best African International award, Most Vibrant Club Brand on Social Media and others.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY