Desiree Ellis wins coach prize at Caf awards

Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis won the Women’s Coach of the Year trophy at the Caf Awards in Marrakesh in Morocco on Monday night.

Ellis won the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final with Banyana in July 2022 and was the first SA national senior team coach to reach the group stages of a World Cup in Australasia this year, losing 2-0 against the Netherlands in the last-16 in August.

Banyana and Mamelodi Sundowns player Andile Dlamini was a goalkeeper nominee in the Caf/FifPro Women’s XI and was joined by her SA and Sundowns teammates Bambani Mbane and Lebohang Ramalepe. Two more Banyana players, Linda Motlhalo and Refiloe Jane, were in the midfield section, bringing the SA nominees to five.

Nigeria and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen won the Men’s Player of the Year award, beating fellow nominees Mohamed Salah of Egypt and Liverpool, and Morocco and Paris St-Germain’s Achraf Hakimi.

Banyana striker Thembi Kgatlana was among the three nominees for Women’s Player of the Year but lost out to Asisat Oshoala of Nigeria.

Ellis was shortlisted with Sundowns ladies coach Jerry Tshabalala and former Morocco women’s coach Reynald Pedros.

She singled out Tshabalala for mention in her acceptance speech.

“I’d like to acknowledge coach Jerry. He does fantastic work in SA, and that’s why I’m standing here,” Ellis said.

“I’d also like to acknowledge all the other coaches who work in women’s football. This is for all of you, all the administrators who work in women’s football, but most importantly it’s for all the Banyana players because they make us [the coaches] look good.

“To all the staff of Banyana who worked tirelessly and to all the teams who did so well at the World Cup … women’s football on the continent is rising.”

Morocco coach Walid Regragui, who steered Morocco to become the first World Cup semifinalist from Africa in Qatar in December 2022, was the shoo-in for Men’s Coach of the Year.

The Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year was Yassine Bounou of Morocco. Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie won the Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award.

 Percy Tau became the first South African to win the Confederation of African Football’s Inter-Club Player of the Year award.

Al Ahly attacker Tau beat off Mamelodi Sundowns’ Namibian goal ace Peter Shalulile and Democratic Republic of Congo forward Fiston Mayele of Egyptian club Pyramids FC.

The Bafana Bafana striker found the back of the net five times in his contribution to Ahly’s record 11th Caf Champions League title in 2022-23.

Fatima Tagnaout of Morocco’s AS FAR won the Women’s Inter-Club Player of the Year prize.