Manchester City’s Yaya Toure is one of four Barclays Premier League players on the 10-man shortlist for the 2012 award for African Footballer of the Year.
Ivory Coast midfielder Toure claimed the award last year and will be among the favourites after playing a starring role as Manchester City became Barclays Premier League champions for the first time in 44 years. He was also instrumental as Ivory Coast reached the final of the African Cup of Nations before losing on penalties to Zambia.
His compatriots, Arsenal forward Gervinho and former Chelsea forward Didier Drogba, who scored the winning penalty as his former club Chelsea won the UEFA Champions League for the first time against Bayern Munich, were also shortlisted.
Newcastle United’s Senegalese forward Demba Ba and Chelsea’s Nigerian midfielder Jon Obi Mikel are also on the shortlist as is former Arsenal midfielder Alex Song.
Shortlist for African Footballer of the Year: Alexandre Song, Cameroon; Andre Ayew, Ghana; Christopher Katongo, Zambia; Demba Ba, Senegal; Didier Drogba, Cote D’Ivoire; Gervinho, Cote D’Ivoire; John Obi Mikel, Nigeria; Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Gabon; Yaya Toure, Cote D’Ivoire; Younes Belhanda, Morocco.
Eight players named for Azerbaijian test
Eight Barclays Premier League players have been named in Northern Ireland’s squad for their FIFA World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan at Windsor Park on 14 November.
Northern Ireland squad: R Carroll (Olympiacos), A Mannus (St Johnstone), M McGovern (Falkirk), A Hughes (Fulham), R McGivern (Man City, on loan at Hibernian), J Evans (Man Utd), C Cathcart (Blackpool), G McAuley (West Brom), A Bruce (Hull), C Baird (Fulham), S Davis (capt, Southampton), O Norwood (Huddersfield), C Evans (Hull), N McGinn (Aberdeen), P McCourt (Celtic), C Brunt (West Brom), S Ferguson (Newcastle), G McCann (Peterborough), D Healy (Bury), D Shiels (Rangers), K Lafferty (Sion), W Grigg (Walsall), J Ward (Derby), A Little (Rangers).
