Tino’s struggles highlighted by absence from Foe award

TINO KADEWERE’S horror campaign in French Ligue 1 this season has been highlighted by how he has drifted away from the enclosure, where the best performing African players, in the league, are honoured.

Last season, the Zimbabwean forward was one of the three players shortlisted for the Marc-Vivien Foe award, which celebrates the excellence of the best performing African players, in the French topflight league.

Kadewere finished second to the winner, Congolese attacking midfielder Gael Kakuta, with Algerian forward, Andy Delort, taking third place.

The Warriors forward had a huge breakthrough season in French Ligue 1 in which he scored 10 goals in 33 league matches and provided three assists.

However, he has struggled to build on that and scored just one goal, in 15 league matches, in this season’s campaign.

He did not find the net in his five appearances in the Europa League.

In total, Kadewere was on the field for 694 minutes and scored just one goal this season.

Last season, he was on the field for 2019 minutes and scored 10 goals.

It meant Kadewere was not even considered when it came to nominations for this year’s MarcVivien Foe award. It has been won by Ivory Coast midfielder Seko Fofana, who plays for Lens.

The 27-year-old, once on the books of Manchester City, captains Lens and has scored eight goals in 37 appearances in Ligue 1 this season.

“It’s pride, a lot of recognition,” said Fofana, who also had a spell on loan at Fulham in 2014.

His Kakuta won the award last season.

Fofana claimed 221 points to finish ahead of Rennes and Mali captain Hamari Traore (91 points) while another Rennes defender, Moroccan Nayef Aguerd, finished third (77 points).

“It was close to my heart to win this trophy because it’s the Marc-Vivien Foe prize and it reminds me of a lot of things,” added Fofana.

“The first time I went to a stadium was when I was young, with my dad. He took me to see the France team play against Turkey and the same day, we learned this sad news [of Foe’s death].

“So, when I saw that I was among the finalists, it was close to my heart to win this trophy and that’s what happened.”

With a 12-man shortlist, Fofana also saw off Paris St-Germain and Morocco right-back Achraf Hakimi and Saint-Etienne and Tunisia midfielder Wahbi Khazri.

Journalists from all branches of the media vote for the prize and it is co-sponsored by Radio France Internationale (RFI) and TV news channel France 24.

Fofana has helped Lens to seventh place in Ligue 1 with one game of the campaign remaining - just two seasons after the club were promoted from the second tier.

France 24 described Fofana as “a sharp and decisive player” who has made himself “an indispensable player” for Lens.

Previous Marc-Vivien Foe award winners

⚫ 2021 - Gael Kakuta (DR Congo/Lens)

⚫ 2020 - Victor Osimhen (Nigeria/Lille)

⚫ 2019 - Nicolas Pepe (Cote d’Ivoire/Lille)

⚫ 2018 - Karl Toko Ekambi (Cameroon/Angers)

⚫ 2017 - Jean Michael Seri (Ivory Coast/Nice)

⚫ 2016 - Sofiane Boufal (Morocco/Lille)

⚫ 2015 - Andre Ayew (Ghana/Marseille)

⚫ 2014 - Vincent Enyeama (Nigeria/Lille)

⚫ 2013 - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon/ Saint-Etienne)

⚫ 2012 - Younes Belhanda (Morocco/Montpellier)

⚫ 2011 - Gervinho (Ivory Coast/Lille)

⚫ 2010 - Gervinho (Ivory Coast/Lille)

⚫ 2009 - Marouane Chamakh (Morocco/ Bordeaux) - Sports Reporter/BBC Sport