Africa's Top Five Kings of Leather

The five shortlisted top 5 African footballers for the year 2007 could as well be described predictable. Who can fault the Drog with his appetite and thirst for goals or 'new' Thiery Henry in Emmanuel Adebayor?

Essien's physical presence is almost become synonymous with Chelsea and we already had Samuel Eto as the face of World cup 2010 to be staged in South Africa. While Kanoute may not be a 'very popular' (in the traditinal sense), the versatile Malian is the heart of his national side. He recently measured to that bill and reputation by scoring the decisive goal that ensured Mali joined Africa's elite footballing nations in Accra next month.

With all the five nominees virtually being West Africans, where does that leave the rest of the continent? Or put different is playing in the Premier League the alpha and omega in football? Where are East, South, Central or North Africans?

Well the jury is still out and very soon we would be victims of the same media blitz where any mundane dribbling is speedily judged world class. Poor Benni McCarthy could not feature anywhere despite his form for Blackburn. Woe unto other African footballers plying their trade outside Europe in general and England in particular.