The English top tier league has never been so reliant on African Stars until this Mahrez- Ighalo dominated season. Can you think of any particular season solely dependent on African stars better than this campaign?.
It is usually touted as the most competitive cosmopolitan league around the world not just because of its multinational nature but the ease with which it can be assesed.
The 2015/16 season could not have done any better to the ever burgeoning rise in fortunes of the poor and unexposed African players.
Bedevilled with financial setbacks and lack of basic sporting facilities, the poor African player is left under the stewardship of raw and unrefined coaches who are bent on winning matches and not player’s technical development.
From Tony Yegoala to Austin Okocha, Yakubu Aigbemi to Didier Zokora, Didier Drogba to Micheal Essien, the current crop of players in the premiership look destined to rewrite the history books in the most decorated and globally accessed league.
For easy analytical comparison, African players are being compared with their English opponents for better understanding of their decisive season.
Of the 608 players in the top flight league, only 47(representing 7.73 percent) hails from Africa as compared to the 213 from English soil (representing 35.03 percent).
The numbers however leaned in favour of the hazy, dry and unfriendly African continent despite the numerical disadvantage.
African trinity of Odion Ighalo, Riyad Mahrez and Andre Ayew teamed up to rack in an incredible 36 goals two fewer than Vardy, Kane and Defoe for their English counterparts.
Nigerian Odion Ighalo registered an incredible 15 goals for Watford whiles Riyad Mahrez has made his $300,000 summer arrival at the King Power the best of transfer business in the last few seasons.
The Foxes are currently seated at the top of the premiership with 15 games to go. Don’t forget Andre landed at the Liberty stadium as a free agent but has since bagged 8 goals in his debut season.
Representing a negligible 7.73 percent has added more value to the 14.64 percent (89 goals) of the total goals scored in the premiership totalling 608 goals by the African army. Yes 89 of the 608 goals have been scored by 23 of the 47 African stars in the premiership.
The English contingent might have given birth to 26 percent (158 goals) of the total goal tally but their huge numbers makes it mathematically unfair.
The extended playing time assured at the various clubs (Rooney as a case study) makes it mathematically imbalanced if not unfair.
on the podium finishes in the season, African stars have since won 2 player of the month awards, same number as England. Andre Ayew’s swashbuckling start to the season in August made him the first winner of the award and the third from his country whiles Ighalo is the current holder with his December accolade.
Jammy Vardi came to rescue of England with successive awards in October and November.
Info graphic representation of Africa versus England in the 2015/16 Premiership.
AFRICA PARAMETER ENGLAND
47 PLAYERS TOTAL PLAYERS 213
89 GOALS TOTAL GOALS 158
36 GOALS TOP THREE SCORES 38
14.64 PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL GOALS 26
2 PAYER OF THE MONTH AWARD 2
23 NUMBER OF GOALS SCORERS 62.
Need we mention names like Yaya Toure, Yanick Bolasie, Sadio Mane, Jordan Ayew,Diafra Sacko or Diemerci Mbokani? Didier Drogba might have the Golden boot in his days but i doubt if there was a better team work than this dominant era.
Decisive African Stars Hoisting the continent"s flag on English soil
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