Player of the Year: Ahmed, Tagoe and Gawu

Accra, Dec 8, GNA - The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has nominated three players to vie for the prestigious 'Player of the Year Award at the second edition of its Awards Night scheduled for Friday, December 16.

The nominated players are Kumasi Asante Kotoko's skipper and defender, Issah Ahmed, 2005 goal-king Prince Tagoe of Accra Hearts of Oak and Eric Gawu, the leading striker of Kumasi King Faisal. The trio all have equal chances of picking up the ultimate prize having distinguished themselves creditably in the 2005 soccer season. Ahmed, skipper of the 2005 league champions has for the past years commanded a regular playing position in the set-up of Kotoko. He crowned the year with a surprise entry into the senior national team, the Black Stars, when he came on as a substitute in the Stars game against the Stallions of Burkina Faso and has since then been a key figure in the defensive set of coach Ratomir Dujkovic.

Tagoe, who is on a year's loan with Accra Hearts of Oak from division one side, Mytdjyland won the 2005 goal king with 18 goals. He is also a regular member of the national Under-21 team, the Black Satellites as he led them to win the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS/West Africa Football Union (WAFU) Soccer Tournament staged in Accra recently.

The tall lanky striker emerged as the top scorer of the tournament as well as the over-all best player. He is reported to be under-going trials in France. The exploits of King Faisal in both the local and continental level cannot be mentioned without the name of striker Gawu as his role in the club's success in the premiership and the Confederations Cup competition is exceptional.

Gawu throughout the season has remained a thorn in the flesh of most defenders, scoring important goals for them. Other nominees to be considered include Sherif Danladi of Feyenoord, Alhassan Illiasu of King Faisal and Issah Ahmed of Kotoko who will be vying for the Best Defender' award, while Philemon McCarthy of Feyenoord, Kotei Blankson of Liberty Professionals and Laud Quartey of Real Sportive will be competing for the Goalkeeper award. The Discovery of the Year award will be competed for between Liberty Professionals Kwame Obeng-Darko and Alex Asamoah of Berekum Arsenals and McCarthy of Feyenoord.

Gomoa Fetteh Feyenoord, Berekum Arsenals and Real Sportive have been nominated for the Most Exciting Team of the Year Award with the Nkawkaw Park, Swedru Park and the Tema Sports Stadium vying for the Best Behaved Centre Award.

For the coach's category, Arsenals' Emmanuel Quarshie, Oti Akenten of King Faisal and Sulley Mohammed of Real Sportive would be competing for the Coach of the Year award with the Chief Executive of Accra Hearts of Oak, Mr Tommy Okine, Felix Ansong of Liberty Professionals and Isaac Banson of Real Sportive contending for the Coach of the Year Award.

Kumasi Asante Kotoko, 2005 League champions will take home the Club of the Season Award, with the Goal-King title going to King Faisal.