2017 Popularside Awards for Nigeria Football Best Performers - Winners Are...

Popularside Awards is conducted online by GreenHunters Sports International, a sport marketing outfit based in Lagos Nigeria. The awards brings a different dimension to the Nigeria football Awards that is sometimes controversial in their selection of awardees.

The Popularside Awards has adopted the same method used to select winners of BBC African Footballer of the Year Awards, which is fans voting online.

The Popularside Awards organizers believe the fans, the ones that derive the real utility from the sport entertainment, should be the ones to select the awardees. As they say: only the one who has eaten the pudding knows the real taste.

In this year voting session, 22, 000 fans voted online from Nigeria and around the globe. These were the result we got.

1. Nigeria Football Player of the year 2017, Men' s Category
2nd Runners Up: Alex IIwobi, Super Eagles and Arsenal
Runners Up: Wilfred Ndidi, Super Eagles and Liecester City
Winner: Victor Moses, Super Eagles and Chelsea

Victor Moses performance was pivotal in Chelsea winning the Premier League 2016/17 Season and Super Eagles qualification for 2018 Fifa World cup. Many fans believe
 Victor will go ahead to win the African Footballer of the year Award in January.

2. Home based Nigeria Football Player of the Year 2017 - Men's Category
2nd Runners Up: Godwin Obaje, Wikki Tourist/ CHAN Eagles
Runners Up: Anthony Okpotu, Lobi Stars/CHAN Eagles
Winner: Ikevhukwu Ezenwa, FC IfeanyiUba and Super Eagles

Ikechukwu Ezenwa the first choice goalkeeper of FC IfeanyiUba may have surprise everyone with his performances this year; especially manning the post in the 4 - 0 comprehensive defeat of Cameroon in the world cup qualifiers. He led the home based eagles qualify for 2018 CHAN and got to the finals of WAFU cup.

3. Nigeria Football Player of the Year, Women's Category
2nd Runners Up: Rasheedat Ajibade FC Robo /Falconets
Runners Up: Francisca Ordega, Atletico Madrid/ Super Falcons
Winner: Assisat Oshoala, Quanjian/ Super Falcons

Assisat Oshoala ended the Chinese women league as the highest goal scorer and help her club Dalian Quajian win the Chinese Women League... The reigning African woman footballer of the year was a hand full for Chinese defenders with all season incredible performances.

4. Home Based Nigeria Football Player of the Year, Women's Category
2nd Runners Up:
Runners Up:
Winner: Rasheedat Ajibade FC Robo/ Falconets

Rasheedat Ajibade performances this season have been very outstanding, especially his examplary leadership. She has continued from where she left off as the top scorer in 2016 U17 world cup to magnificent performance in their U20 world cup qualifiers against Tanzania.

5.  Nigeria Football Association Administrator of the Year 2017
2nd Runners Up: Shehu Dikko
Runners Up: Aisha Falode, Chairperson and Orgniser of Nigeria women Football league
Winner: Amaju Pinnick, Chairman, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)

Amaju Pinnick and his NFF have been hailed for their smooth prosecution of the world cup qualifications and his organizational prowess that led to Nigeria being first Africa to qualify for 2018 Fifa world cup billed for Russia. He has since organized an intrrnational friendly with Argentina...

6.  Nigeria Clubs Administrator of the Year 2017
2nd Runners Up: Yakubu Taddy, Plateau United
Runners Up:  Ojieh Sunday, MFM FC
Winner: Paul Bassey, Akwa United

Paul Bassey, a seasoned Sports Journalist and member of NFF Technical Committee, led Akwa United to win the Aiteo Federations Cup and finished third in Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). The welfare of players and organization of club travels for away matches as well as home game where superb. Good secruity without any incident of hooliganism in home games at one of the finest stadium in Nigeria: Godwin Akpabio International stadium Uyo.

7.  Nigeria Coach of the Year
2nd Runners Up: Kenedy Boboye, Chief coach Plateau United
Runners Up: Abdu Maikaba,  chief coach Akwa United
Winner: Gernot Rohr, Head Coach of Nigeria National team

Gernot Rohr managerial proficiency was evident in prosecution of the 2018 world cup qualifiers. Nigeria being placed in a group of death, with￦ all former champions of Africa nations cup: Cameroon, Zambia, Algeria... No one was sure how such a difficult group will play out, but Rohr qualified Nigeria without loosing a match home or away, defeating reign African champions by 4 - 0 and 1 - 1 respectively..beating Zambia home and away... Rohr is gradually building a formidable team and today, Nigerians are loving again their darling team, Super Eagles.