Ghana's new coach Avram Grant voted Black Stars striker Asamoah Gyan as the 2014 African Footballer of the Year, the voting patterns have revealed.
The former Chelsea manager rightfully chose his captain as the continent's best player in the voting that involved Nigeria's duo of Vincent Enyeama and Ahmed Musa as well as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ivorian star Yaya Toure.
Gyan, who was named on the five-man shortlist for the prestigious CAF African Player of the Year, will take consolation from the fact that his coach recognizes his contribution to African football.
He was not in the final three but it is clear coach Grant highly rates his striker which will boost his confidence going into 2015 with the Africa Cup of Nations looming.
Grant's vote for Gyan will also avoid the previous embarrassment of coaches not voting for their players which led to accusations that the manager had not trust in his player.
Click here to see the full list of how the coaches voted
The striker has been in blistering form for both Ghana and his UAE side Al Ain as he led the Black Stars to the World Cup to break Roger Milla as Africa’s highest scoring player at the global tournament played in Brazil in June last year.
Gyan was also named the top scorer and best foreign player in Asia last year by the Asia Football Confederation thanks to his heroics in the Asian Champions League.