The two players featured for the Black Stars in the 2017 AFCON tournament in Gabon where Ghana finished 4th.

At club level, they helped their clubs across the 2016/ 2017 season.

Partey contributed 16 appearances to Atletico Madrid’s 3rd place finish at the end of last season in Spain and Atsu played 32 matches in Newcastle United’s Championship-season winning campaign that gave that gave a place in this season’s Premier League.

The shortlist also has the likes of Eric Bailly of Cote d’Ivoire and Manchester United, Mohammed Salah of Egypt and Liverpool, Vincent Aboubakar of Porto and Cameroon and 2017 AFCON Best Player, Christian Bassogog of Cameroon and Henan Jianye, and Sadio Mane of Senegal and Liverpool.

According to CAF, “the winner will be decided by votes from the Head Coaches/Technical Directors of the National Associations affiliated to CAF, members of the CAF Technical and Development Committee and a panel of Media Experts.”

The awards event will be held in Accra on January 4, 2018.

Here is the full shortlist:

African Player of the Year

1. Ali Maaloul (Tunisia & Al Ahly)

2. Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso & Lyon)

3. Cedric Bakambu (DR Congo & Villareal)

4. Christian Atsu (Ghana & Newcastle)

5. Christian Bassogog (Cameroon & Henan Jianye)

6. Denis Onyango (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns)

7. Eric Bailly (Cote d’Ivoire & Manchester United)

8. Essam El Hadary (Egypt & Al Taawoun)

9. Fabrice Ondoa (Cameroon & Sevilla)

10. Fackson Kapumbu (Zambia & Zesco)

11. Jean Michel Seri (Cote d’Ivoire & Nice)

12. Junior Kabananga (DR Congo & Astana)

13. Karim El Ahmadi (Morocco & Feyenoord)

14. Keita Balde (Senegal & Monaco)

15. Khalid Boutaib (Morocco & Yeni Malatyaspor)

16. Mbwana Samata (Tanzania & Genk)

17. Michael Olunga (Kenya & Girona)

18. Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool)

19. Moussa Marega (Mali & Porto)

20. Naby Keita (Guinea & RB Leipzig)

21. Percy Tau (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns)

22. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Borussia Dortmund)

23. Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool)

24. Thomas Partey (Ghana & Atletico Madrid)

25. Victor Moses (Nigeria & Chelsea)

26. Vincent Aboubakar (Cameroon & Porto)

27. William Troost-Ekong (Nigeria & Bursaspor)

28. Yacine Brahimi (Algeria & Porto)

29. Youssef Msakni (Tunisia & Al Duhail)

30. Yves Bissouma (Mali & Lille)

Atsu and Partey are the only Ghanaians on the list.

CAF also released a 30-man shortlist for the Best African Player based in Africa.

African Player of the Year – Based in Africa

1. Achraf Bencharki (Morocco & Wydad Athletic Club)

2. Ahmed Fathi (Egypt & Al Ahly)

3. Alkhaly Bangoura (Guinea & Etoile du Sahel)

4. Ali Maaloul (Tunisia & Al Ahly)

5. Aristide Bance (Burkina Faso & Al Masry)

6. Ayman Majid (Morocco & FUS Rabat)

7. Aymen Mathlouthi (Tunisia & Etoile du Sahel)

8. Ben Malango (DR Congo & TP Mazembe)

9. Dean Furman (South Africa & Supersport United)

10. Denis Onyango (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns)

11. Elsamani Saadeldin (Sudan & Al Merreikh)

12. Fackson Kapumbu (Zambia & Zesco)

13. Fawzi Chaouchi (Algeria & MC Alger)

14. Geoffrey Serunkuma (Uganda & KCCA)

15. Jeremy Brockie (New Zealand & Supersport)

16. Junior Ajayi (Nigeria & Al Ahly)

17. Karim Aouadhi (Tunisia & CS Sfaxien)

18. Mohamed Meftah (Algeria & USM Alger)

19. Mohamed Ounnajem (Morocco & Wydad Athletic Club)

20. Muaid Ellafi (Libya & Ahly Tripoli)

21. Nasr Eldin Ahmed (Sudan & Hilal Obeid)

22. Oussama Darfalou (Algeria & USM Alger)

23. Percy Tau (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns)

24. Sabelo Ndzinisa (Swaziland & Mbabane Swallows)

25. Saber Khalifa (Tunisia & Club Africain)

26. Saladin Said (Ethiopia & Saint George)

27. Sylvain Gbohouo (Cote d’Ivoire & TP Mazembe)

28. Tady Etekiama (DR Congo & AS Vita)

29. Taha Yassine Khenissi (Tunisia & Esperance)

30. Tarek Hamed (Egypt & Zamalek)

By: Citi Sports

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Isaac Hayden fired the Magpies ahead from 25 yards after goalkeeper Fraser Forster was left flat-footed before Joselu was denied from making it 2-0 by the bar.

Saints conjured up a rare home goal through Gabbiadini’s shot on the turn only for Newcastle to restore their lead 87 seconds later, Ayoze Perez finding the net from an angle after Forster had spilled the Spaniard’s initial shot.

Newcastle were denied victory when Gabbiadini, starting for the first time since 9 September, scored from the penalty spot after Florian Lejeune needlessly bundled over Shane Long.

Southampton had failed to score in eight of their past nine Premier League home games – and they failed to muster a shot on target in the first half in this game.

Yet Mauricio Pellegrino was rewarded for his decision to restore Gabbiadini to the side as the Italian scored twice in 26 minutes to deny Newcastle a rare top-flight away win.

It looked like another frustrating game as Dusan Tadic, unmarked inside the six-yard area, headed tamely over the bar with the match goalless before Hayden fired the visitors ahead.

Southampton have won once in six league games but this gritty performance in front of their own fans was just what was needed after back-to-back defeats.

Forster will feel he should have done better for both goals, the England keeper having committed himself early when Hayden pulled the trigger before failing to hold Perez’s shot.

Yet Lejeune’s clumsy challenge on Long saved Forster’s blushes and gifted Saints a point which moves them up to 10th in the table.

Newcastle were on course for a second win in 15 Premier League away games when French defender Lejeune gifted the hosts a penalty.

Long was not in a goalscoring position when the foul was committed yet Benitez’s side were made to pay.

Whereas the battling 1-1 draw against Liverpool in their previous game felt like a win, this will have felt like two points lost.

Lejeune almost made amends for his error in the dying moments but substitute Steven Davis was well placed to hack his header off the line.

Benitez’s side produced a spirited display after the negative headlines of the training ground spat between Jamaal Lascelles and Mohamed Diame, which resulted in Jonjo Shelvey wearing a cast to protect a broken finger in this game.

–

Source: BBC

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“I have told them to sort it out between themselves,” the Spaniard declared during his postmatch news conference. “I think that they are capable of doing that and that they will both be our kickers.

The response of Paris Saint Germain head coach Unai Emery to journalists after a hard-earned victory against Lyon that was masked by the open brawl between Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani and the world’s most expensive player Neymar.

It did not help issues that fellow Brazilian Dani Alves openly got involved in the scuffle as he sought to back his former Barcelona teammate.

The arrival of Neymar the global icon was always going to rob a number of other alpha egos in that PSG dressing room of their star spotlight and arrive at that point we have.

Cavani who was among the pioneers of the era of big spending for PSG will be seething and is highly unlikely to sit down with Neymar over coffee and croissants to decide how goal opportunities and spot kicks will be split.

This is the sole responsibility of the coach. Unai Emery, and he should clearly have spelt out these duties the moment the Brazilian was acquired.

A break down in leadership fueled by the manager’s lack of clarity and pragmatism.

Such ineptness at dealing with special players is probably the reason why Emery will not be the one to steer this ship long-term.

In the head of Neymar he is the unanimous leader and arrow head of this PSG side and must be allowed to take charge of all the deciding moments in matches.

On a skill and performance level he is not wrong and I firmly believe that he will eventually have his way.

Cavani does not stand a chance in this feud as he is surrounded on all sides by Brazilians who will go to war for their man.

Insisting on butting heads with Neymar will eventually result in Cavani being transfer listed and that will truly signify the second phase of the PSG global conquest journey.

We are witnessing the construction of a super team,led by a super star with a super ego who will stop at nothing to exert himself as the best in the sport with the help of his loyal henchmen.

Sergeant Atsu

Five games into the new Premier League season, a modest goal and two assists to his name might not scream take-over for Newcastle’s Christian Atsu but it is the beginning of better things to come.

Along with captain Jamal Lascelles he has put himself in the position to become one of the leaders and go-to-guys on a Newcastle team that will require inspiration from some quarters through out the season if they are to exceed expectations with their current squad.

The injuries during his spell at Everton left him in a dark place and so did the lack of trust shown in his fitness and ability by Bournemouth and Eddie Howe.

The lifeline for Ghana’s most talented player currently to fulfill his full potential reside at Tyneside and in the hands of Spaniard Rafael Benitez.

On his watch Atsu has braved the harsh and physical conditions of the Championship and has survived long enough to score his first ever Premier League goal to give an unfancied Newcastle team nine points in five games en-route to a temporary fourth place spot on the log.

At their current level of quality in each position, Newcastle have no business winning matches but have managed to navigate tricky assignments due to some shrewd coaching and the availability of players with the desire to prove their worth like Atsu to execute.

Playing Atsu on the left wing as an inverted winger has always made the most sense for me,but over the years he has been unable to perfect that art in the manner that has crystallized guys like Arjen Robben as legends of the role in the eyes of many.

Thus, I accept the decision of Benitez to play Atsu on his natural left side where both his goal and assists this season have come from.

He looks in rhythm with the pace of the league and will have to battle through the physical nature of the play everytime he takes to the court.

Barring any unforeseen injury setbacks and managerial instability, this could be the season that defines the career of the former Feyernoord academy product.

Princesses slip under the radar

I have made a conscious effort to keep tabs on Ghana’s Black Princesses as they seek to qualify for the World Cup but even I was blown away by the manner in which the qualifying campaign got under way and even more by how a 5-0 win in far away Algiers escaped the high praise of all Ghanaians.

Perhaps it is essential to see through the two legged fixture before showering coach Yusif Basigi and his girls with champagne.

What is evident is that the head coach Basigi despite the various impediments that exist during such preparation campaigns has managed to conduct a wide range of scouting to give Ghana the best chance to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in France.

In the face of meager resources and national neglect, his man management skills will be tested but as things stand they remain on the right path.

–

By:Benjamin Nketsia/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Aaron Mooy’s perfect finish after a well-worked team move comprising 14 passes was all that separated the teams, though the Terriers’ performance deserved more than only Mooy’s 50th minute strike.

Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle remain without a win – or even a goal scored – this term, and now they must prepare for next Saturday’s clash against fellow pointless side West Ham.

Twenty-three years to the day that Huddersfield fans watched their first game in this venue against Wycombe, the John Smith’s Stadium was hosting its maiden Premier League match, with some fans having paid as little as £100 for their season card thanks to a pledge by chairman Dean Hoyle.

His name was chanted prior to kick-off as the players emerged to be greeted by a ‘Terriers’ mosaic and the sound of thousands of clappers during an electric atmosphere which continued as the hosts tried to seize control early on.

Mooy’s long-range shot provided Rob Elliot with his first test and the Newcastle keeper was grateful Tom Ince’s vicious try, which came courtesy of a mislaid Christian Atsu pass, was straight at him.

A Magpies team featuring three enforced changes soon settled to quieten the crowd, though, and they produced the half’s best chance in the 17th minute through Matt Ritchie.

Ayoze Perez laid the ball off to him on the edge of the area and the winger’s effort was heading straight for the bottom corner only for Jonas Lossl to produce a fine one-handed save to tip it around the post.

Newcastle’s only other first-half scare came when Atsu and Javier Manquillo were caught out trying to play their way out of trouble, though Steve Mounie was correctly adjudged to be offside by the time he fired at Elliot.

There were half-hearted penalty appeals at the other end when Atsu’s header hit the back of Chris Lowe’s arm, not that he knew anything about it, and the Terriers full-back was then bailed out by two fine Christopher Schindler tackles, the second of which had to be timed right on Dwight Gayle.

Following a half with few first opportunities, it took less than five minutes after the restart for Mooy to lash the hosts ahead.

The Australian rolled a pass into Kachunga in the box and claimed the one-two return around Manquillo before dispatching an unstoppable effort into the corner to leave Elliot with no chance.

Mooy had been a key figure in Huddersfield’s promotion-winning campaign last term but this was just his fifth goal for the club, with one of the previous four having come at home to Newcastle too.

Rafael Benitez’s reaction was to replace Gayle with recent recruit Joselu and the Spaniard nearly scored a carbon copy of Mooy’s effort at the other end.

The difference between their one-two was that Joselu’s shot lacked any power, making it all the easier for Lossl to divert wide.

From the resulting corner Perez had an even better opportunity but his hooked volley went over the crossbar as Newcastle’s wait for a first goal of the season went on.

Jacob Murphy, another of Benitez’s replacements, was denied by a brilliant Lowe sliding challenge as Huddersfield held firm to make it two wins from two.

–

Source: Talksport

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Most often, the story is told of persons in other businesses but not much is said about those in football.

Indeed it is quite difficult getting that huge break in football and suddenly getting rich from the ‘zero’ zone especially for Africans.

That notwithstanding, there are a few who have gotten through and their stories still inspire the many who train and play barefooted on the many dusty parks dotted across the continent.

Here are 5 of such persons:

Samuel Eto’o

Now 36 years old and worth about $80m, the Cameroonian star grew up in a very under very difficult conditions living with this family in a small home located in Doualla.

He grew up sharing a bed with six of his siblings. His passion for football saw him make balls out of plastic materials he found and played with two of his brothers who are also footballers now. After years of playing for an academy in Cameroon, he moved to France but had to leave to Spain where he joined the youth team of Real Madrid.

At the time, he earned about $200 a week, an amount that completely blew his family away. That was beginning of the fattening of Eto’o’s bank account. Today he is one of the continent’s richest footballers.

Christian Atsu

The Ghanaian international’s move from an ordinary little boy on the streets of Accra to being one of the country’s respected soccer players is incredible.

He said growing up in Accra for him was tough as his family had “very little money and very little food”.

He had to resort to selling sachet water to earn some extra money to support his family. Today his is valued at $12m.

Yaya Toure

It wasn’t until the age of 10 that Yaya Toure had his very own football boots, having spent years knocking a ball about without shoes in the streets of his native Cote d’Ivoire. “Boots were very expensive,” Toure told The Guardian in 2011.

“And when there are seven in your family and you say you want to buy a pair your father wants to kill you.” But in the Manchester City midfielder’s own words: “I just had a normal African childhood. Life was a struggle when I was growing up.” Toure clearly took his opportunities as they came.

He used his distinguished youth career at ASEC Mimosas as a springboard to Europe with Belgian outfit Beveren – from where he has gone on to ply his trade in Ukraine, Greece, France, Spain and England. He has among his numerous awards the BBC African Footballer of the Year.

Steven Pienaar

Growing up in apartheid-era South Africa was a dangerous proposition for Steven Pienaar, who has described native Westbury – on the fringes of Johannesburg – as a cauldron of violence and strife.

Pienaar has recalled being banned by his mother from sitting on the couch to watch television, as she feared a stray bullet would come flying through the window and harm her son – so he was restricted to sitting on the floor.

The Bournemouth man has also recalled despicable instances of racism he faced because of the color of his skin – and the joy he felt when apartheid was lifted at long last in 1994. While Pienaar was able to escape the dangers of Westbury via football, many others weren’t – soon after joining Ajax, a close friend of his was tragically lost to the mayhem of Westbury, an event Pienaar says is too painful to speak about at length.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Christian Atsu says Newcastle United must put their Easter Monday defeat at Ipswich Town behind them quickly as they bid for promotion from the Sky Bet Championship.

Former Town forward Daryl Murphy equalised on the hour for the Magpies after Freddie Sears’ first half opener at Portman Road, but further strikes from David McGoldrick and Emyr Huws won it for Mick McCathy’s men.

United face Preston North End at St. James’ Park next Monday in the first of their final three fixtures of the campaign.

And Ghanaian winger Atsu says Newcastle must “keep fighting” to make sure they’ll have something to celebrate come May.

“It’s frustrating, because before today we’d played really well against Leeds before we conceded that last-minute goal. But we cannot blame anyone, we just have to blame ourselves, correct our mistakes and continue working hard for the future,” he told nufc.co.uk.

“We’re really disappointed we lost this game, but we have three more games to play, we are still in a good position, and we have to keep fighting until the end.

“We didn’t start well, and we gave them confidence. We were not compact. But we have three more games to play and something to fight for, so we have to keep on doing that.”

Atsu added: “No one is happy with today. Everyone is down, but we cannot keep on like this – we have to make sure we change everything with our next game.

“We have to give more, fight, and just give everything in our next game, which is more important now.”
Two of Rafa Benitez’s side’s final three games are at home – something on-loan Chelsea man Atsu hopes, like the fact United have a week to refresh and prepare for the visit of North End next week, will help Newcastle in the run-in.

“It’s always great to play at home,” he said. “But in football, playing home or away is not necessarily an advantage, you just need to keep fighting and concentrate on our gameplan.

I hope and I believe that at the end of the season we will make our fans happy.

“We know the kind of position we are in now, and we know we cannot lose any games. We just have to keep working hard.

“We will have some rest and then the lads who have played a lot of games will have a good recovery, and we will come back strongly again.”

–

Source: Newcastle United

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The match was Atsu’s first since his return from the African Nations Cup in Gabon where Ghana finished fourth.

He replaced eventual match-winner Aleksandar Mitrovic after 46 minutes and after the match, Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez revealed that Atsu was brought on as a precaution to save Mitrovic from being sent-off as he had been yellow-carded.

The match was Atsu’s 17th of the season (and he has scored 3 goals) since he joined the club on loan from Chelsea and he has expressed his desire to play more games so he can replicate his good form for Ghana at Newcastle.

“It is a confidence that you have. In the national team I play 10 games [in a row] and they trust me. Sometimes it is difficult to come to the club side and play and get to the rhythm of the game immediately”, he said as quoted by online portal ChronicleLive.

He went on to say: “I need to keep working hard. I play better in the national side but I hope to change that. I don’t think I am anywhere near my best [for Newcastle] yet. I can keep improving. I haven’t played one of my best games for Newcastle yet, and I am working as hard as I can to be able to do that.The fans have shown their love for me – it is up to me to pay them back on the field.”

Atsu’s contributions have helped Newcastle go to the top of the Championship on 65 points; one more than Brighton who are second.

–

By: Nathan Quao/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The 24-year-old winger was famously described as the Ghanaian Messi by Sulley Muntari following an impressive season with Portuguese giants, Porto, in 2012.

Fast forward to 2016 and Atsu has failed to record 40 league games in four years since playing his way to a big money move to English giants Chelsea.

An initial loan spell to Vitesse in 2013 proved a huge success bearing fruits of 28 league games and five goals to the delight of every Ghanaian who was keenly anticipating a breakthrough season with Chelsea.

Hope it was and hope it remained as then Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho was not so impressed and wanted to monitor him at close hand.

Everton under Spanish tactician Roberto Martinez was to follow but despite some signs of growing that loan spell proved a spectacular failure. He managed only five league appearance in what was his most disappointing season in Europe.

His performance or lack of opportunities at the struggling Everton was a puzzle to many who saw him sparkle for Ghana game after game in the Africa Cup of Nations where he eventually became the best player of the competition.

Feeling down and with a point to prove Atsu’s next destination was the South Coast of England with Bournemouth and highly rated English manager Eddie Howie was his manager. Hopes were high again, maybe desperately, because it was an opportunity to prove he had what took to cut it in the English Premier League.

But the experienced proved to be a nightmare. If Everton was a spectacular failure then Bournemouth proved a gory scene. He failed to kick a ball in the league in what was a combination of bad timing and injury plagued campaign for the then darling boy of Ghana Football.

After just six months it was over, Atsu was sure he was no long interested and he asked for a move away from the club.

Malaga was next in the series of loan moves and that episode started very well with a good goal on his debut but the unwanted would strike again with injury slowing him down despite showing promise anytime he came on the pitch.

He managed 12 league games and scored twice in his six months loan spell in Spain, the general consensus was that he would stay in Spain but no he returned to Chelsea with the hopes of getting the opportunity stake a claim in the Chelsea team but after few trials under Antonio Conte the Italian tactician decided he was not good enough and moved him on to Newcastle United.

He has since played two games out of a possible five but the more damning verdict is that Atsu has lost his sparkle and is no more the first name on the lips on Ghanaian players when it comes to top Ghanaian players in Europe.

There is however a window of opportunity at St. James’s park and a big season under Rafael Betinez will go a long way in banishing the three years of huge disappointments.

–

By: Rahman Osman/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The deal, formed as two joint ventures with Shanghai Oriental Pearl, gives Sony access to an estimated 500 million gamers in China.

China has had a ban on gaming consoles since 2000, citing their adverse effect on the mental health of young people.

But in January, the government said it will allow foreign firms to manufacture and sell consoles.

China’s gaming market, which is currently dominated by PC, mobile and online games, is seen as a key growth area for console makers.

The two partnerships are both with Shanghai Oriental Pearl, one gives Sony a 70% share and the other a 49% stake and both will operate out of Shanghai’s free trade zone.

In a statement to the Shanghai Stock Exchange, an executive from Shanghai Oriental Pearl says: “”The joint venture will be based on the relevant state policies and will introduce quality and healthy video games that will adhere to China’s national conditions as well as the tastes of Chinese gamers.

“Sony will also co-operate with domestic game development teams to promote original products on Playstation platform, while further improving the Chinese gaming industry.”

PlayStation vs Xbox

Last week Sony said it aimed to nearly triple operating profits by next year.

Sony’s game console join venture comes nearly one month after rival Microsoft said its Xbox One game console will go on sale in China in September.

Microsoft will launch the console in collaboration with BesTV New Media Co, a subsidiary of Shanghai Media Group.

Industry research from PriceWaterhouseCoopers estimates that China’s video-game industry will generate about $10bn (£6bn) in sales next year.

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