Irrepressible Sundowns continue to set the bar very high and dominate Caf nominees

Few will have been surprised after Mamelodi Sundowns and their coach Pitso Mosimane continued to receive recognition from the Confederation of African Football (Caf) on Sunday.

Caf nominated Mosimane in the coach of the year category while Sundowns are in the running for the club of the year award.

Sundowns forced their way into the list after their triumphant march to the African Champions League title last month. Their continental triumph enabled the Brazilians to become the first SA club to participate in the Fifa Club World Cup in Japan.

The other South Africans who received recognition from Caf on Sunday are Janine van Wyk in the women’s player of the year category and Banyana Banyana in the race for the women’s national team of the year award.

Banyana qualified for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio and also managed to finish fourth at the African Women’s Nations Cup in Cameroon this month.

The Caf winners will be decided by votes from the continental body’s technical and development‚ media committees‚ and a panel of 20 experts (Journalists‚ TV consultants) except the fair play‚ legend and platinum awards‚ which are not subject to voting.

Veteran Times Media journalist Mark Gleeson and respected SABC senior reporter Velile Mbalula are the only South Africans on the Caf voting pane.

Eastern Cape-born Mbuli’s rise is the stuff of legend as he joined the SABC as a 15-year-old in 1997 while he was still in high school.

The hardworking and humble Mbuli‚ who hails from the rolling hills of Ndabakazi‚ Butterworth‚ comes from humble beginnings and has become an inspiration to many youngsters who dream of a career in journalism.

“The story of Mamelodi Sundowns in 2016 is a culmination of work that Pitso Mosimane started four years ago and their ultimate goal has always been to conquer the continent‚” Mbuli said from Japan on Sunday.

“I’ve followed them very closely over the years and I believe this is just the beginning.”

Sundowns already dominate the final list of the Caf African Player of the Year (based in Africa) announced last month.

Downs players Hlompho Kekana‚ Khama Billiat‚ Keagan Dolly and Denis Onynago are nominated for the second-tier award that is reserved for players plying their trade on the continent.

Caf has decided there will be no votes for the youth national team of the year.

The referee of the year will be voted only by the Caf referees committee.

All the winners will be announced at the CAF Awards Gala dinner to held on January 5 next year in Abuja‚ Nigeria.

The nominees are:

Women’s Player of the Year: Asisat OSHOALA (Nigeria and Arsenal Ladies) Elizabeth Addo (Ghana and Kvarnsvedensik) Gabrielle ABOUDI ONGUENE (Cameroon and Rossiyanka) Janine VAN WYK (South Africa and JVW) Raissa FEUDJIO TCHUANYO (Cameroon and Aland United) Most promising Talent: Elia MESCHAK (DR Congo and TP Mazembe) Kelechi IHEANACHO (Nigeria and Manchester City) Naby KEITA (Guinea and RB Leipzig) Oghenekaro ETEBO (Nigeria and CD Feirense) Ramadan SOBHI (Egypt and Stoke City) Youth Player of the Year: Alex IWOBI (Nigeria and Arsenal) Eric AYIAH (Ghana U-17) Franck KESSIE (Cote d’Ivoire and Atalanta) Sandra OWUSU-ANSAH (Ghana and Supreme Ladies) Sidiki MAIGA (Mali U-20) Coach of the Year: Florent IBENGE (DR Congo) Milutin ‘Micho’ SREDOJEVIC (Uganda) Pitso MOSIMANE (Mamelodi Sundowns) Nacer SANDJAK (MO Bejaia) Florence OMAGBEMI (Nigeria women’s national team) Referee of the Year: Papa Gasama‚ Gambia Grishea Gehead‚ Egypt Malang Diedhiou‚ Senegal Club of the Year: Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) MO Bejaia (Algeria) TP Mazembe (DR Congo) Zamalek (Egypt) Zesco United (Zambia) National Team of the Year: DR Congo Guinea Bissau Nigeria U-23 Senegal Uganda Women’s National Team of the Year: Cameroon Ghana Nigeria South Africa Zimbabwe

African Player of the Year: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon and Borrusia Dortmund) Riyad Mahrez (Algeria and Leicester City) Sadio Mane (Senegal and Liverpool) Mohamed Salah (Egypt and Roma) Islam Slimani (Algeria and Leicester City)

African Player of the Year (based in Africa): Khama Billiat (Mamelodi Sundowns and Zimbabwe) Keegan Dolly (Mamelodi Sundowns and South Africa) Rainford Kalaba (TP Mazembe and Zambia) Hlompho Kekana (Mamelodi Sundowns and South Africa) 5. Denis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundowns and Uganda)

– TMG Digital