Kenya: Victor Wanyama EPL's Player of the Month for September

Southampton midfielder Victor Wanyama has been named the Barclays English Premier League Player of the Month for September.



In a release by award organisers New African Soccer and signed by the awards director Tunde Adelakun, Wanyama saw off a very strong challenge from East London's West Ham United' Senegalese new boy Diafra Sakho.

The Kenyan who joined the English southcoast Saints last season from Scottish Premiership champions Celtic has enjoyed a superb start to the season with his team.

Southampton occupy an enviable third place in the Premier League at the moment and Wanyama has been the pillar in a great midfield that has made them a dangerous opponent going forward. They are also solid at the back.

The New African Soccer statement said Wanyama, who also scored his first goal of the season against Swansea on September 20 hence becoming the first player from Kenya to play and score in the hugely competitive English Premier League will be given his award upon his return from international duty.

"It was a tough choice as we had to also take into account, the performance of the Senegalese Diafra Sakho, who has been in explosive form since arriving in England.

Sakho has scored in virtually every game he has played for Big Sam Allardyce's West Ham in September and he has been as deserving of the award as Wanyama", the statement added, "but what swayed it in Wanyama's favour was his overall team work ethic and contribution, especially at what many thought would be a difficult time for his club, having lost many of their top players in the summer".

New African Soccer thanked all watchers of the game, and watchers of Africans in particular, who took the time to vote and register their opinion on the awards.

Meanwhile Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has goaded his predecessor Mauricio Pochettino by claiming midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin is glad he did not follow him to White Hart Lane.

The two teams met in north London on Sunday and Spurs won the match 1-0.

But before the kick-off Koeman said: "It was very important Schneiderlin stayed. I think the player is very happy to stay. Maybe he had some doubts about the club's ambition but if you ask Morgan now about our ambition, it is what he would like to see.

"He is a key player. He scores, he defends, he attacks and with that kind of player you like to do everything to keep him in the team."

There is no doubt Schneiderlin was unsettled by Pochettino's interest, even tweeting his concerns after Saints rejected Tottenham's £12m (Sh1.72bn) bid in August.

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