Who Wins SWAG Footballer of the Year 2016?
The winner of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) will be known on Saturday night when the 42nd edition of the foremost sports awards event takes places at the State House.
Three top professional players are contesting for the prestigious footballer of the year. Two of them ply their trade in England and one in Africa.
The general public are expected to participate in the selection of the Footballer of the Year and Sports Personality of the Year with 40% and SWAG members contributing 60% to determine the winner.
The three nominee include last season winner Andre Ayew of West Ham, Daniel Amartey of Leicester City and Solomon Asante who plays for Congo DR giants of Africa, TP Mazembe.
For the records, they were nominated players for FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR are:
(i) Andre Ayew - For his contribution in the English Premier League for Swansea City culminating in a club record transfer to West Ham United, as well as his outstanding role in the Black Stars qualification to the 2017 Nations Cup.
(ii) Daniel Amartey – For his role in Leicester City’s historic triumph in the English Premiership, as well as is contribution to the Black Stars.
(iii) Solomon Asante – For his role in the success of TP Mazembe as 2016 CAF Confederation Cup winners, African Super Cup holders and DR Congo champions.
THE GHANA PREMIER LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE YEAR NOMINEE ARE:
(i) Latif Blessing – The top goal scorer in the Ghana Premier League and one of the most outstanding players in the 2015/16 season.
(ii) Richard Ofori - For his outstanding role in the historic triumph of Wa All Stars as the Ghana Premier Leaguechampions, where he kept 15 clean sheets in 27 league matches.
(iii) Akwasi Donsu – For outstanding performance for Medeama SC in the Ghana Premier League where he scored 15 goals (10 through free kicks), and guided the club to the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup.
FOR THE FEMALE FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR, THE NOMINEES ARE:
(i) Sandra Owusu-Ansah: She represented Ghana at two different World Cups, playing for the Black Maidens at the Under-17 tournament in Jordan and at the Under-20 tourney in Papua New Guinea. At both competitions, she won Lady of the Match awards, and was recently nominated by CAF for the Most Promising Player award.
(ii) Elizabeth Addo: She led the Black Queens to win the bronze medal at the Africa Women’s Championship in Cameroun where she scored three goals.
She has been nominated by CAF for the 2016 African Female Footballer of the Year award.
(iii) Priscilla Adubea: She inspired Ampen Darkoa Ladies to win the National Women’s League title for the first time and also emerged as the competition’ top scorer (Goal Queen) with 19 goals. She also featured prominently for the Black Princesses at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea.
Other FOOTBALL Categories to be mention for honors are:
MOST PROMISING STAR OF THE YEAR: Sandra Owusu-Ansah (Black Maidens/Black Princesses)
FEMALE CLUB OF THE YEAR: Ampem Darkoa Ladies – For winning the National Women’s League for the first time.
MALE CLUB OF THE YEAR – Wa All Stars for winning the Ghana Premier League for the first time.
DEDICATION AND VALOUR: Godwin Attram – For dedication to Accra Great Olympics where he played a key role in the club’s return to the Ghana Premier League in a dual role of Player/Coach of the club during their successful stint in the Division One League.
The 42nd SWAG awards is sponsored by MTN, CDH Financial Holdings, Goil, StarTimes, Activa International Insurance, Guinness, TT Brothers, ATL, Ghana Free Zones Board, Stanbic Bank, Databank Ltd, unibank and others.
The President of Ghana, HE Nana Akuffo Addo who wants Ghana Sports to rise again is the special guest of honour.
Other influential business and media magnets and sports personalities will grace the occasion which will be beamed live by StarTimes on Max TV, GTV Sports Plus, GTV and in over 30 countries.