Kotoko's captain Felix Annan: Reward for unalloyed dedication

When defender, Amos Frimpong left after his considerably good service to the club, it was an open secret that, a new captain would be appointed before the team plays its first competitive match. There was absolutely no doubt as to who the lot will fall on as the new Kotoko captain.

One person, who undeniably merited this honour, was goalkeeper, Felix Annan. Some news outlets reported, terming it as exclusive information, that, Felix Annan would be the new Kotoko captain. How that was exclusive news I cannot tell. What I do know, however, is that looking at the composition of the team, the captain’s armband was on its way to the brilliant goalkeeper.

What is it that influences the choice of team captain? It differs from teams to teams. I am not sure we can even agree on a set of factors or attributes that a player must have before he is chosen as the captain of a football team. Yet, it is reasonable to conclude that, the following are useful indicators in deciding who is picked as the captain of a football team.

This is in no order of significance. Leadership qualities, work ethics, performance, dedication to duty, time spent in the team, etc. If I was a coach, these would be among the elements that I would rely on to decide who captains my team. And from where I sit, goalkeeper, Felix Annan, at this material time, has all it takes to be made Kotoko captain. He meets my criteria.

Minus his season-long loan stint at WAFA, this is Felix Annan’s seventh season at Kotoko. He first joined the club in 2011 from Gomoa Feyenoord Academy (now WAFA). His talent was not in doubt. He was young, intelligent and agile. He has not changed. He still has these fine traits.

With late Burkinabe, Soulama Abdoulaye and Isaac Amoako being two of the most trusted goalies at the time Felix Annan arrived, there was no argument that, he would warm the bench for a long time. Consequently, Felix Annan’s dream of being the club’s number one goalkeeper, was years away given the performance and rich experience of Soulama and Amoako.

If there is one thing I like about Annan, it is neither his sense of professionalism nor commitment. It is his patience. He has good mentality too. I have seen the light of good footballers dim at Kotoko because of their impatience, bad mindset and attitude. These are negative lifestyles I have not seen of Felix Annan for all the time he has been at Kotoko.

Annan cut his teeth well at the Kotoko reserve team. For four years, having little or no chance in the senior team, Annan did not look worried. Even if he was disturbed about it, there was no abhorrent manifestation of that to harm either his reputation in the team or his relationship with the leadership. He has good human relations. He is a gentleman.

Annan was loaned to WAFA in 2015. What is beautiful is that, he returned as a better goalkeeper. His consistent, excellent show from 2016 till date affirms not just his quality but also the amount of work that has gone into his current form.

Annan has taken his career seriously. Being part of the Black Stars for AFCON 2019 in Egypt was sufficient proof of how the nation appreciates his talent. His new status at Kotoko is deserved. It is an honour. It is a perfect reward for his unadulterated, dedicated service.