Shanghai SIPG striker Asamoah Gyan has slammed the decision of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to award the 2015 Best Player of the Year award to Gabonese international Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Aubameyang beat stiff competition from Cote d'Ivoire's Yaya Toure and Ghana's deputy captain Andre Ayew to win the coveted award at a flashy ceremony in Nigeria two days ago. He garnered 146 votes from national team coaches and captains in Africa to be the victor, reports Xinhua.
The CAF has come under intense attack after the event with a shock, stinging attack coming from four-time winner Toure, who described the CAF as an "indecent and pathetic" body that has no regards for achievements on the continent.
Gyan, who came close to winning the title two separate times, believes the Dortmund attacker didn't do enough at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) last year to deserve the award even though he admits the player did extremely well for his club.
"For me I don't think Aubameyang deserves the African Footballer of the Year award. Andre Ayew did very well at AFCON and he also excelled with his two clubs (Marseille and Swansea City). So it is very disastrous not to name such a person. This has happened to me twice, in 2010 and 2014. I don't value the award," the Ghanaian skipper said.
Despite failing to grab the award, Ayew was named in the 2015 CAF Best XI.