Nigerian coach Keshi says Mikel deserves CAF award

 Stephen Keshi the Nigerian head coach sugested that John Mikel Obi the Chelsea midfielder deserved to be named Africa's best player of 2013. The midfielder is in the running for the Confederation of African Football award with football stars like Manchester City's Yaya Toure, and Didier Drogba of Galatasaray.

The winner will be announced in Lagos Nigeria on Thursday Jan 9th 2014. Coach Keshi feels Mikel has played good this year and deserves it, that if he wins the award it will boost his team and the entire nigeria since it has been a long time a nigerian won the award. Mikel did play a big role in the tournament in South Africa in February, helped Chelsea win their first-ever Europa League trophy and contributed a lot at the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil. Meanwhile coach Keshi himself is also in the running for best coach. He took the Super Eagles to their third African Cup of Nations title in 2013 and qualification for this year's World Cup in Brazil. He will be running against coach Manu Garba, another Nigeria coach that won the under 17 World Cup, Belgian coach Paul Put of Burkina Faso. Nigerians Kadiri Ikhana and Okey Emordi won the award before  after leading Enyimba to win the CAF Champions League in 2003 and 2004 respectively.