No joy for Stars in slow transfer season

It was supposed to be have been one of the most intense transfer periods for Ghanaian players on the back of a fine run at the World Cup but a general slow transfer market is giving Ghanaian football fans reason to worry.

There is no major move involving a Ghanaian player to get all excited about but even more important is that there has been little activity on the transfer market to suggest the moves required to keep some of the finest youngsters this side of the world active and save the ailing careers of others will happen.

The move involving Daniel Opare though is an exception. For years the youngster proudly wear Real Madrid with pride but his growth stunted and a young man touted as the future of Ghana football has fallen below the pecking order. His transfer to Standard Liege though can change all that granted he can get first team football.

Dominic Adiyiah is facing a similar dilemma. The top goal scorer and best player from the 2009 World Under-20 championships does not look like he will get games anytime soon at AC Milan. Now Mainz 05, the new Bundesliga side who had been muted as a possible destination for the player say they have not made a firm decision yet.

Wherever he ends up, many Ghanaians will be hoping that Adiyiah does not spend the season watching football like the rest of us but rather playing. That will re-ignite fears he could go down the way of many promising Ghanaian youngsters who never fulfilled the billing.

Laryea Kingston, Stephen Appiah and Sulley Muntari all made the transition from brilliant youngsters to fully respected internationals. Now they all need to save careers threatening to go wrong.

Priority for Appiah is a new club and also a way to convince prospective suitors he can still do a massive job on the field.

Kingston was cut lose by Hearts of Scotland last season and while he has spoken of many options the activity apart from stated interest from a newly promoted Russian top flight side has not suggested so.

Muntari made us all aware during his heavily orchestrated interviews and public appearances that he wants to stay and fight for his place at Inter Milan. Many fear it could mean another frustrating season, little first team football and even more ammunition for Milovan Rajevac to overlook him if he stays Ghana coach. Preventing any further slide in his club fortunes should be top of the agenda.

Elsewhere, we are no wiser about where new favourite Kevin-Prince Boateng will be playing his club football even though we do know for a fact that it will not be with Portsmouth in the English championships.

John Mensah's future looks much clearer and with Sunderland now, Asamoah Gyan for all the reported interest you suspect will be better off building on his recent success at Stade Rennes and last weekend it was nice to see Dede Ayew get 85 minutes in a Marseille shirt.

If he builds on that it should be a fine season for him. Such signs of hope though are rare amongst the other Ghanaian contingent.