Tuesday 7 May 2013

Acclimatising with Honka... With an eye on Kotoko


Hi everyone! It has felt like ages since I updated you on how things are going and how I am getting on. The last time I checked, I was reaching my fans from somewhere in Kumasi but as I type, I am currently in the beautiful city of Espoo, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland. Need I reiterate why I am here while Kotoko plays in the Glo Premier League? Well, while many Ghanaian players go abroad in search of greener pastures I am here to while away time in my Kotoko career in a useful way.

Ardent readers of my previous blogs will attest to my biggest challenge this season - playing time! I have struggled to get playing time under my belt at Kotoko, the very situation every footballer tries to avoid as much as possible. It will always go down as 'normal' if a player recovering from the kind of injury I suffered struggles to regain his form and a place in his team's starting XI, but trust me, my situation was worse. I went through traumatic times. The more I tried, the harder it became. There were times the fans became impatient which is understandable. They missed the old me. I always thank God for the lives of my wife (Herty) and Eby (my agent) who spurred me on.

Eventually, I opted for a loan move. I will always count my luck to have an agent, who with the help of FIFA agent Tony Awor, was able to get me a European club even as a 'loan' player. As I speak, I can say I am feeling great, enjoying European football and the mentality that accompanies it. Adapting to life in Finland however is a real challenge; I must say. Everything is totally different from what I am used to in Ghana. The food, weather, language, lifestyle and everything you can mention reminds me of the fact that I am in 'obi man so' (a strange land). I thank my team mates and agent for the things they have done to help me acclimatise to life in Finland.

Interestingly, the style of play in Finland is nothing like it is in Ghana. The pitches are better and the game is faster and requires a lot of mental fortitude with minimal use of physique which makes the game comparatively easier. The standard of play is higher than I expected it to be! My early days were hard for me but my coaches and team mates have been helpful. Honka did not start the season well but the playing time and experience I am getting under my belt cannot be quantified. I have so far scored two goals, one in a friendly (my debut) and the other in the Suomen Cup (Finnish Cup). The Finnish fans have been amazing and very supportive. They have sent me a lot of encouraging messages via twitter and facebook; and for that, I am very thankful!

One of the goals I scored was against a team whose coach I have met in the Glo Premier League before. Yes, I met former King Faisal coach George Stephen Pollack who coaches Kooteepee, the club my goal eliminated in the Suomen Cup. You can trust that we had a nice chat. I have not found time to discuss Ghana football with my teammates but they know that I come from one of the biggest clubs in Africa. I hardly get time to monitor Kotoko's matches live due to my busy training and match schedules but during my leisure, I try to catch up on events. I was so sad when JSM Bejaia knocked us out of Africa but hey! that's football for you; you win some you lose some. I am happy to see that they have dusted themselves from the difficulties and are on course for the double this season. I predicted that Kotoko would win the superclash in Accra because we always seem to win games in Accra, however it was a draw. Kudos to my boy Michael Helegbe for scoring the lone goal! I heard the euphoria at the stadium was second to none.

Before I go, I cannot help but commend the matured levels of democracy Ghana is currently displaying. The whole world can now understand that democracy in Africa, Ghana to be precise, has come of age. It is humanly better to use your intellect (with your pens and papers) to stage a coup d'etat when you disagree with the outcome of a voting process than resort to guns, bullets and machetes.

Please follow me on twitter for regular updates @gbaah3
Thank you... Me daasi.... Kiitos..... :-)
GB3

Friday 15 February 2013

Black Stars, Nguema et al

Hello everyone. It's good to be back after a long break. I am so excited that I don't even know where to start, but I will any how. The break in the league was not that long for me. I returned to training after just one week as was the case for all Kotoko players. Reasons? Well I guess it is obvious; Kotoko's onslaught on Africa was on the cards.

There is a lot to share on how training has gone but this piece won't be complete without a touch on the African Cup of Nations. Hmm, I've heard lots of opinions about Ghana's performance at the just-ended competition but my bone of contention is with those who think the team didn't perform to expectation. Maybe the hype by the media concerning the team's chances raised the hopes of Ghanaians to an absurd level, in which case, failure to reach the final was always going to represent a damnable act, probably punishable by the bitterness and abuse that the team has endured in various circles. Personally I think the team did well! Yes! (imagine reading my lips), the team did well.

The sweet array of stars Ghana could not benefit from at the tournament due to one reason or the other gives me reason to think we did well. Imagine the dizzying heights a Black Stars team complete of Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari, Dede Ayew, Kevin Prince Boateng and a fully fit John Mensah could send us. I even think the difference between the Ghana team at the tournament and that of Zambia at Gabon and Equatorial Guinea was luck.

The stars which watched over the Zambians last year had clearly deserted them and we saw their fate. If we had a bit of luck, certain near misses would have hit the back of the net and we could be telling a different story. We could easily have met Nigeria in the finals, a development I had already bet on against my agent, Eby (The Black Doll), who is Nigerian. In fact, I told her we'd meet and beat them in the finals. You can imagine the ribbing she gave me when we never even made it to the finals, hahaha.. But I know the Black Stars will be back, stronger than ever.. The Super Eagles did very well and deserved to win. My sincere congratulations to them!

I was so sad for Kwasi Appiah and Maxwell Konadu, two coaches I have had personal ties with and also for defender Awal Mohammed who had received his first call-up. Ask me and I will tell tell that the two coaches must be maintained to continue the good work they have started. 

Back to Kotoko; the worst mistake Sony Ela Nguema could have made was to have accepted to play us and not withdraw (no disrespect). The conditioning and tactical drills Coach Massud Didi Dramani and the rest of the technical team are putting us through can only guarantee a handsome win against them. I don't know much about them; all I know is that they an EquatoGuinean team who will be the latest victims of the venom coming from the quills of the porcupine. The vibe in camp in refreshing and nothing will stop us from beating them on Sunday.

PS - I will be updating my fans on an interesting development very soon.

Adios

GB3

Sunday 13 January 2013

Victory over Liberty Paramount


Happy New Year to everybody. It's my prayer that dreams get fulfilled this year and that 2013 becomes the year where things that are expected to to happen don't meander but come to pass. And that wish includes my beloved Kumasi Asante Kotoko.
We are making all efforts to correct the wrongs of 2012. Goals which were not scored, those which went agonizingly close and missed by a whisker, will enter the opponents' net in 2013. Goals which were conceded but were not supposed to be conceded won't be conceded in 2013; I say AMEN to that.
That awakening begins with our match with Liberty Professionals. It is a very crucial match as it marks the end of the first round for us. Three points from that match will do us a world of good because it will send us to the 3rd position on the Glo Premier League table. It will also bring back the smiles on the faces of our supporters who are not happy with our lack of consistency.
The memories of such a win will linger in our minds for the whole period of the Africa Cup of Nations and give us hope for the 2nd round of the league. Call it fate or otherwise, the match which was supposed to be played last weekend got postponed and here we are; with the rest of our colleagues resting, the job still calls for us.
In some circles, the day on which a match is played could determine the outcome; well I don't ascribe to that school of thought. Rather, the psychological and tactical preparation we made which never got tested, is my problem. What it means is that we have to go back and start all over again.
We are aware of Liberty Professionals' strengths and weaknesses. We know what Ebenezer Assafuah who scored 4 goals against Chelsea can do. We are also aware of the return of Kassenu Ghandy whose return from Sweden has boosted their morale in defence but these factors can't outwit the might of Kotoko.
With 100% concentration we will emerge victors in this game. I do not know what excuse we could give our fans if we fail to win this match. On a personal note my 'metamorphosis' into a forward is progressing well and I am enjoying it. I have Coach Massud Dramani to thank for the things he sees in me.
I scored a goal in our practice match with Kumasi Cornerstone this week. Well the commentators will say 'it was a screamer' (hahaha). In my attempt to control a pass, the ball bounced awkwardly and with my back to the opponents goal, I unleashed a pile driver past the keeper. You can imagine how elated I was. Something big is bound to happen in this new role I have been given (fingers crossed).
To CAN 2013, the pundits do not even mention Ghana as a favourite these days. Hmm, well that might be the tonic that would get us angry and spur us on to victory. The nation is in very capable hands with Kwasi Appiah. All we need to do as a people is to support captain Asamoah Gyan and the Black Stars, irrespective of who was invited or did not. Go Black Stars!....Go Ghana!
Thank you folks
GB3