Millions of football passionate Nigerians were last week disappointed to see their own Victor Moses lose the BBC African Player of 2017 Award to Egyptian star, Mohammed Sallah.
For many, they expected Moses to cart home the award based on the success he enjoyed last season when he helped Chelsea to win the Premier League title from his new right wing back role.
Moses surprisingly finished a distant fourth behind Sallah, Saido Mane and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in that order.
“This is another set-back for Nigerian football.” “This is another proof that we are not really liked by the whites.” “What did Mohammed Sallah win with his former club, AS Roma last seasons to deserve the award,” these and many more were the comments made by Nigerian football followers last week after Sallah was pronounced winner of the award.
Like several other passionate Nigerians, I shared the sentiment but I am aware the award is won majorly based on individual success and not necessarily the achievements of the club you played for.
I remembered our own Austin Jay Jay Okocha won the same award twice or so at a time he won no trophy in England but he consistently ensured Bolton Wanderers survived relegation mostly on the final days of the Premier League.
If the BBC Award was not more about individual performance or achievements, it would have been impossible for Okocha to be shortlisted not to mention winning the award. Also, African players in Britain, especially those plying their trade in the English Premier League are more favoured to win the award than their compatriots in other leagues.
In addition, offensive players such as attacking midfielders and strikers often win the individual awards than their defensive counterparts.
With all the aforesaid in mind, I felt so uncomfortable on the day I heard about the interest of Liverpool in Mo Sallah, I prayed the deal should not see the light of the day but the opposite happened.
For Sallah, he was more than motivated to succeed at Liverpool after his below par performance in his first sojourn in England as a Chelsea player.
The 2017/18 season had barely kicked off when Sallah proved to Jurgen Klopp he had made the right signing. Each time the Egyptian scored a goal or provided an assist in Liverpool colours, I knew the BBC Award and the CAF Player of the Year honours is falling from the grasp of Moses.
The fact that Moses (who naturally is a winger) now plays in a more withdrawn role as a wingback makes it difficult for him to compete favourably with Sallah. As a wingback, the Nigerian is not likely to score as many goals or provide assists like the former Basel forward.
Such is the blistering form of Sallah this season that the Egyptian presently tops the Premier League goal scorers’ chart with 14 goals ahead of prominent strikers like Sergio Aguero, Harry Kane, Alvaro Morata and Romelu Lukaku, barely midway through the campaign.
Additionally, Sallah has so far scored 20 goals in all competitions for Liverpool, a feat that is yet to be achieved by the highly rated Eden Hazard all-season, since he joined Chelsea from Lille about five years ago.
Also, while Sallah has played regularly for Liverpool banging in the goals consistently and providing assists for the trio of Mane, Phillipe Coutinho and Firmino to find the back of the net, Moses suffered recurring injuries and was in and out of the Chelsea squad.
Beyond club football, Salah, like Moses shone brightly for his national team as the Pharaohs qualified for the 2018 World Cup alongside Nigeria and three other African countries. Unlike the Super Eagles who had only missed out of the tournament once since their maiden appearance in 1994, the Egyptians last qualified for the World Cup 27 years ago. The fact that Egypt last qualified for the World Cup almost three decades ago and the fact that Sallah contributed more goals than Moses in the qualifiers may see the box ticked in favour of the former yet again. The Liverpool man scored five out of the seven goals of his team to land Egypt the ticket to Russia.
