A heated debate has been ignited in the country by the Angel FM sports team as many people have been thrown into discussions to name their all time best player to have played for Ghana’s two most glamorous clubs – Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak. Many individuals including sports managers, retired and active players, coaches, and sports journalists have been contacted by the radio station to share their views on the issue. The discussions have raised nostalgic feelings among many football fanatics as they cast their minds back to the glorious days of local football in the country whereas many young football fans are busily taking notes of the rich history being recounted on the program.
Clearly, the many players that have been mentioned by those contacted shows that Ghana as a footballing nation is gifted with many great players who are worth celebrating on any given day. On the side of Kotoko, names like Osei Kofi, Ibrahim Sunday, Opoku Nti, Opoku Afriyie, Abdul Razak, Francis Kumi, Kwasi Appiah among many others have been mentioned. Mohammed Polo, Addo Odametey, Adolf Armah, Shamo Quaye, Emmanuel Armah ‘Senegal’, Ofei Ansah are also included in the list for hearts of oak. The surprising thing to many has been the conspicuous absence of the names of players who are currently playing for the clubs and those who played for the clubs not long ago. Questions have been raised if such absence goes to confirm the widely held view that local football has no exceptional players in recent times.
When Alhaji Braimah Suleman (Alhaji Hearts) a well known management member of Hearts of Oak FC took his turn to give his thought on the topic, he acknowledged the contribution of many great footballers to have played for his club but would not mince words in indicating that among all those players Addo Odametey stands tall. Speaking to the host of the show Joe Laka, he shared his admiration for the player when he was a ‘ball boy’ for hearts of oak. ‘’ ..I have watched many great players but none compares to Addo Odametey. He is the best player ever in Ghana and even Africa, he could play number 4 and 5 (central defence) than anyone else being in Hearts or Black Stars. He excelled so much as a player and handed over to Amartey Fio who he called ‘his son’... Mohammed Polo and Osei Kofi were all gifted but they come nowhere close to Odametey...’’he said. Addo Odamettey holds the record for the most appearances in a final of the African Nations Cup having played for the winning team in 1963, 1965 (as captain) and 1968. He played at the Olympic Games in 1964 and in 1968 where he was suspended by FIFA for attacking a referee after Ghana’s match with Israel. He later became the head coach of Hearts of Oak in 1979 and led them to finish as runners-up in the Africa Clubs Cup competition. Odametey died on December 29, 2006 at age 69.
Opoku Nti also recounted his playing days for Asante Kotoko in 1983 and had a firm conviction that the supporters of the club would choose him as the best ever Kotoko player if they were given the chance to decide. To him, his match-winning display and goal gifted Asante Kotoko the Africa Clubs Championship in 1983 when they played against Al-Ahly in Kumasi. ‘’.. I am the only player to have scored 3 goals for Kotoko against Hearts of Oak within 6 mins 30 seconds...I made Kotoko a lot of money through my transfer to play professional football ...and I also returned to play for Kotoko after professional football ’’ he said. Opoku Nti finished as runner-up in the French Football African footballer of the Year award in 1983. In 1984 he moved to the Swiss champion team Serviette FC and carried on to other teams before rejoining Kotoko some years later.
The discussions have been very interesting so far and the angel sports team have pledged to contact many others to share their views too. Many are waiting for the host of the best sports show in the country Joe Laka and his panellists Jeffery Asare, Eugene Adu Poku ‘Striker’, Sarfo ‘black president’ Gyamfi and Jonathan Abbey Pobi to also name their best players. Hope my readers will also take a guess on who their best players ever are.
N.K. Adjei
maxipulla@yahoo.com.sg
0541194962
Freelance Writer
