Asamoah Gyan used to be the man with the assault rifle, but the 24-year old seems to have finished his bullets in Ghana's impressive run to the finals of the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola. His partner Matthew Amoah's sporadic fire for NAC Breda in the Eredivisie has all, but ceased, after just one strike post-Angola. Another striker of worth Prince Tagoe is back for Hoffenheim, after his problems with the club. He is looking distinctly sharp, but is still not a serial scorer in the mold of World Cup dangerman yet. The new strikers brigade led by Dominic Adiyiah and Randford Osei are still in the trenches, with little expected from them for a while to come, it seems.
I have been keen on developments in Ghanaian football for a while now and so have known what everyone else knows... that Ghana has a striking deficiency. Being an avid follower of African players in Europe I am amazed at how little is heard of the Black Stars marksmen there every weekend.
On Sunday Samuel Yeboah did find the target for his club Racing Genk, but for most I guess the question would more likely be "Samuel who?"
However a certain Eric Bekoe has been firing on all cylinders for his club Petrojet, and tops the goalscorers chart of arguably Africa's finest league with 13 goals this season.
Yet Eric Bekoe, 24 or 21, depending on which account you read, has not made the Black Stars squad since the preliminary stages of the World Cup qualifiers.
The former Asante Kotoko man, who counts been top scorer in the CAF Confederations Cup as one of his personal achievements, is technically sound, has good pace, dribbling skills and strength.
Importantly, he has been a sharp shooter all season.
As Milovan Rajevac searches for the missing link in his squad, I can't help but ask why this prolific scorer from a league that has mainly produced the champions of Africa over the last three Nations Cups, is not getting a look into the Black Stars squad.
Ghanaians are asking too, but the opinions are split on whether the Petrojet man should be in the team or not. However Bekoe himself is philosophical about his plight.
"I don't feel sad because I was not called even though a lot of people think I deserve a chance with this team for the Nations Cup," he told Ghanasoccernet late last year.
"We should rather pray for the team for them to succeed because when they do, we all will be proud as Ghanaians whether you are part of it or not.
"I am not perturbed at all with what has happen, I guess the coach knows why he didn't call me, we live to see tomorrow."
Amen to that I say, because brilliant I as I think Miliovan Rajevac is, he has me worried about his ideas for Ghana's attack.
If the men in Europe have lost their balls, maybe the men in Africa might have an answer.
Kenneth Ezaga
No comments:
Post a Comment