Ex-Ghana defender, Anthony Baffoe has refuted claims that his roommate Abedi Pele influenced the decision to hand him the captaincy in the final match at the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations instead of Tony Yeboah – who was the vice-captain then.
Abedi – who was the substantive captain – due to accumulated yellow cards was going to miss the final at the Stade de l’Amitié in Dakar, Senegal.
Instead of Yeboah deputizing in his absence, the technical team decided to elevate German-born Baffoe who was new in the team.
The unexpected situation is believed to have affected Ghana against Cote D’Ivoire.
The Black Stars lost 11-10 to the Elephants after a marathon penalty shootout to miss out on an elusive fifth continental title.
”To be honest, I was not expecting to be named Black Stars captain. I remember we had a team meeting and Otto Pfister [head coach] announced that Anthony Baffoe is going to captain the team. This is how it got to him,” Baffoe, now CAF Deputy General Secretary, told GTV Sports +
”This is something very interesting I am going to tell you now. People thought Abedi, maybe because we were roommates, he never ever mentioned anything about captaincy to me. I can assure you.
”To set the records straight, I saw an interview from Anthony Yeboah when he said that his manager called me to speak to management that I should hand the captaincy to him. Nobody called me. This is not true. This is exactly what I can tell you.
”I remember Alhaji Maikano, the team manager, came to me and said there were rumours going on and I said whoever wants to take the captaincy should come and take it. I’m not keen on captaincy.
Asante Kotoko right-back Christopher Nettey has set his eyes on playing for Spanish giants Real Madrid in future.
Nettey has been impressive on the flanks since joining the Porcupine Warriors prior to the start of the 201920 Ghana Premier League from Attram De’ Visser Soccer Academy.
Speaking in an interview with MO TV, Nettey indicated that although he is playing for Kotoko, which is a big team, he hopes to move to Europe for his dream to become a reality.
“It is determination and hard work that got me to Kotoko. It is the dream of every Ghanaian player to play at Kotoko, because Kotoko is one of the best teams in Ghana. It was a dream to play for Kotoko but I wasn’t hoping to play now, my mind was always on Europe and Kotoko came.My dream is to play for Real Madrid in Europe.
He also revealed how he has been able to adapt well in the club despite the experienced players he had to compete with at the right-back.
“It’s football we’re play there, you gather your confidence and play on. When I went to Kotoko there were a lot of players like Augustine Sefah, Frimpong who are older than me but one thing I inspire myself with is when you are a year older than me you won’t play more than I’m playing. Sefah is older than I’m, Frimpong is also older than I’m why don’t I use my energy and young age to outplay them?”
“The league is halted. When we comeback I want to be the best right back in the 2019/2020 Ghana Premier League season.”
He also disclosed that Aduana Stars’ Samuel Bioh is the toughest opponent he has met in his career. Bioh scored the only goal in Aduana-Kotoko league game in Dormaa before the season was suspended.
“The toughest opponent I’ve faced so far in the Ghana Premier League is Samuel Bio of Aduana Stars. He is a little bit fast and smart.”
He reiterated that Kotoko has the best midfielders in the league.
“We have the best midfield in the Ghana Premier League, Mudasiru, Justice Blay, Collings Ameyaw and Kwame Adom Frimpong no one can compete us with midfield. We’ll win the Ghana Premier League. I’m very sure about that.”
The goal machine talks about his anger at losing the captaincy of the Black Stars before a major final and his problems with coaches at the peak of his career
Sometimes the enigma of Anthony Yeboah lies in the fact that someway, somehow he is deemed to have been poor at international level, that technically as a footballer he was not good enough and that those who throw up his name at the least opportunity during conversations on individual greatness are dabbling in nostalgic nonsense.
A lot of that is his own doing. Superb on the football field, Yeboah was a nightmare off it for journalists and anyone set with the task of managing his public image. He didn’t particularly like interviews and even when footballers are more open after their playing careers, he has stayed a closed, curious case.
Occasionally he opens up but mostly he spends his time on the golf course in Kumasi and around the country honing his skills, enjoying his newfound love and minding his own business.
“I have become addicted now,” he says about his newfound love. “Sometimes I play every day a week. Back at Leeds, Gary McCallister used to encourage me to come along but I used to brush it aside and call it old men’s game but now I enjoy it. Now I find it very difficult to train but this is useful for me.”
The time spent on the golf course has become even more after he ventured into football and ventured out quickly because he claimed he could not stand the machinations required to be successful as a club owner. He has stayed in the hotel business, divided his time between Accra and Kumasi and as we say in Ghana been simply minding his own business.
But there are a few journalists Yeboah opens up to. Top of that small list is his namesake Kwabena Yeboah, who constantly screamed his moniker YEGOALA so much it became nationally adopted. The two of them sat down again on GTV’s Sports Highlights last week to discuss some of the controversial issues Tony barely opens up about.
And inevitably it is that period that many think defined his international career that comes up. Then captain of Eintrach Franfurt, he arrived at the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations competition as part of a team that also included Abedi Pele, in immaculate form for Olympique Marseille himself. They were supported by a cast that included members of the 1991 World U-17 winning team and some of the best players the local scene has produced. So just why did they not win?
Yeboah feels Abedi’s absence for a second yellow card was one. And he is no doubt the way his absence was handled including the replacement for him against Ivory Coast was an even bigger problem especially after he was overlooked for the captaincy.
“To be honest I was very surprised and at the same time, the Kumasi group was shocked so It was affecting us during the game. They knew I was assistant captain. That time Tony Baffoe was new in the national team and shouldn’t have been captain. I think this situation affected us a lot. Before the game Otto Pfister told us that we have a letter from Ghana that Tony Baffoe should be captain. Everybody was shocked and it affected the team,” he said.
Tony Baffoe (R) captained the Black Stars in the absence of Abedi Pele in the final against La Cote d’Ivoire
Reports of a stormy team meeting before the final when Yeboah left Pfister in no doubt about how he felt have consistently made the rounds and Yeboah freely admits that captaincy row “definitely on my mind.”
“I was a little bit angry. I will try to score, I hit the bar, it wasn’t working and we lost the final,” he adds.
For Yeboah, that whole Senegal ’92 experience and the general mood in the team ruined everything. He thinks it has pretty much become characteristic of Ghana at international level since.
He says: “Every tournament, we seem to have a little problem and football doesn’t work like that. The team has to be together, you need unity. Since we didn’t win in 1992, you can see there is a problem either with captaincy, money or something. We have fantastic players but these things affect us.”
That said, Yeboah is convinced the regularity with which Ghana appears in the later stages of the Africa Cup of Nations suggest the trophy is only a matter of time away even though he insist without wholesale backing for new boss C.K Akunnor, nothing will change.
“I always call C.K Slim Macho. He is a tough person but it will not be about his pedigree. C.K needs support, he can’t do it alone. Everyone has to support him and give him a chance. Without that, C.K can’t do it alone because without support, he can’t do anything.”
Yeboah still hurts about not playing at the World Cup which he claims was down to “petty mistakes” by everyone involved including the players but he did have an amazing career and he knows it. It is a path that is littered with great stories, missed opportunities, a few regrets but ultimately one that has left him a fulfilled man.
“Now I take everything cool. Now I know I have to enjoy my life. I have some companies, hotels working for me and I make sure I take good care of my family.”
That financial stability comes from deciding reluctantly to go to Germany when he truly felt like a local champion in Ghana. He had burst on the the scene in the late 80s and overcome initial rejection by Kumasi Asante Kotoko to become a star at Okwahu United. He freely admits when Kotoko came knocking again at some point, he didn’t trust that he could deal with the quality of the competition there. It proved a smart move.
He scored for fun in two years at Okwahu United before the chance to go to Germany came.
“I didn’t exactly want to leave because I was enjoying Ghana. Those times after a game for Okawhu United I would walk through Kantamanto and get money from people so I was very proud of myself at the club and didn’t want to go to Germany but Abrah Appiah thought it was a very big opportunity for me.”
There were trials and rejection at Dortmund, Kaiserslautern and other top Germany clubs as Tony looked to break into the top flight there. In addition, he had other problems to deal with.
“It was very, very difficult to be honest. Everything was very, very difficult for me. The diet, language, weather especially because it was in winter. I found it very, very difficult.”
But once he settled, that glorious left foot, the natural athleticism and a burning desire, he says to make it took over. His goals for Saarbrucken (26 in 65 games) who had taken a chance on him in the German lower division took them to a play-off against Frankfurt and again he grabbed his moment.
“My club was involved in a play-off with Frankfurt and I played very, very well. They took us out on goal difference and afterwards Frankfurt decided I was good enough to play for them.
“In that game against Frankfurt while I was at Saarbrucken I was racially taunted by the Frankfurt fans a lot. When I joined, that turned into they chanting my name Y-E-B-O-A-H a lot. It was very interesting and I had a great relationship with the fans afterwards.”
That’s where the Yegoala came to life. He was joint top scorer twice, the fans sang his name and there is still a mural in central Frankfurt of a fan with his body tattooed with an image of the Ghanaian goal scorer. The love was always not that deep. He struggled at times with the racism in German football back then and despairs at what he considers the weakness of FIFA dealing with the problem.
What changed things though was the arrival of the former Real Madrid coach Jupp Heynckes at the club. Yeboah claims he picked on black players. The German great was concerned about work rate and a prima donna attitude. Not long after his arrival, Frankfurt agreed it was time for Yeboah to move on but they didn’t want him to go to another Germany club, he says, something that denied him a move to Bayern Munich.
“Normally I should have gone to Bayern Munich but Frankfurt would not allow because the fans would kill them so they said no: we are not allowing you to go even though Bayern was 100% interested,” Yeboah claims.
“I didn’t know Leeds but when the offer came I said why not? Then I had a problem with the coach at Frankfurt so I decided I want to play football, I want my peace.“
He found that peace, fan adulation and a new set of fans in Yorkshire. Every Ghanaian who has been in the Leeds area since the time Yeboah was there has their favourite story of how just being Ghanaian got them that extra attention but he says convincing he was the real deal was work at Leeds.
“Initially the trust from Leeds was not there so they loaned me for the first six months and had the option for another two years.”
Once the trust was sorted out, he would go on to win hearts there, within the Premier League and among it’s incredible global fan base. His goals constantly features among the top goals in the history of the league whether it is the smashing volley against Wimbledon or that control and smash volley finish against Liverpool.
“Any time I am in England, I am asked about my goals and I always choose the goal against Liverpool because I am a Liverpool fan so it was special to score against them. And it was a long time that Leeds had not beaten Liverpool. I met Ian Rush, Barnes, players I had liked from a distance and said; this one I have to show something.”
Yeboah says the reason he took to English football so easily was because his attributes was suited to the physical nature of the league.
“I was fit and it didn’t take me too long to adjust to English football,” he says.
Then it all changed again. Former Arsenal boss arrived at the club and the gains went downhill, coming to a head in a game at Tottenham when he was taken off for a young rising defender Ian Harte.
“With George Graham I think it was all about racism. I do everything from my heart. All the players were behind me because they know. I was fully committed to Leeds but Graham came and was determined to let me know I am a nobody. It became so difficult. If it was not racism, then it was a miscommunication because before he came I was advised to be careful so I was ready for him.”
Yeboah had huge regrets about how he demonstrated his frustration at Leeds though and insists he realizes it was a mistake to take off his shirt and throw to the ground after that substitution.
“The player was a defender, we were trailing and he changed me and brought a defender. After that I knew I made mistake. I am not supposed to do that but sometimes you become was so angry and then do silly things.”
If Frankfurt made him, it is fair to say Leeds expanded Yeboah’s global appeal. He knows he truly made his bones though.
“In Frankfurt I did a lot. Twice top goal scorer. Germany football is not easy so when you become top goal scorer twice and captain of the team, you become very successful.”
Statistics, we are often told doesn’t say much but Yeboah’s numbers paints a good picture. Per the website www.transfemarkt.com, he scored 26 goals in 59 games for Ghana. At Frankfurt, he scored 89 goals and laid on 29 assists. His final years in Germany during his time at Hamburg, he scored 35 goals for Hamburg in 121 games. That includes the two goals he scored for the club in six European Champions League games against Juventus. Then for Leeds United, he scored 29 goals in 56 games. With the Black Stars for whom he is so often maligned, he scored 29 goals in 59 games.
For Frankfurt, he scored 9 in 17 games in the German Cup, the DFB Pokal. In the UEFA Cup, he bagged 12 goals in 16 games. In all, in that competition, he scored 15 goals in 21 games. For Frankfurt too, had a rate of more than a goal every two games in the Bundesliga with the breakdown at 68 goals in 123 games. That rate had dropped to 28 in 100 games by the time he returned for his final four seasons before he decided to look for retirement money.
“I wanted to retire after Leeds but one coach from Germany convinced me out of it and then I went to Hamburg. I lasted four seasons at Hamburg then I moved to Qatar. That was the pension move. That league is nothing so we just went there and finished our career,” he said.
It’s that sort of candidness that has caused him problems occasionally but he doesn’t mind. And he saves one punchline for the end.
“This generation knows that there were so many players who served the country but after football have nothing to eat so these young boys know. They have to take good care of their money. When it is penny they have to collect it and invest it very well that is why you don’t give small money chance because one day you will be old and have to take care of the family,” he ends.
Those houses in Cantonments, the long hours on the golf course, the relative calm he enjoys suggest he has done that well. Ultimately, we would remember him as Yegoala, the originator of great goals.
Legendary Ghanaian striker Anthony Yeboah has opened up on why he failed to sign for Kotoko during his spell in the Ghana Premier League.
The 5 ft 11 in goal-monster was on the wishlist of the Porcupine Warriors but he snubbed a move to the club to join traditional powerhouse Okwahu United in the 1986 season.
Yeboah went ahead to hit an impressive scoring run as he bagged 35 goals in 35 games for the Asaase Aban Lads at the Brighton Park.
Yeboah started his youth career with the Kumasi-based side but he revealed the Porcupine Warriors failed to promote him to their first team despite being in top form.
“Every year they selected three players to join the seniors. I was not selected though I was in top form so I got angry and left Kotoko for OSA, Neoplan Stars, Cornerstones and then Okwahu United,” he told GTVSports+.
In an exclusive interview with GTVSports+ the former Frankfurt and Leeds United striker says he didn’t join Kotoko because of the stiff competition during the period.
“That time Kotoko had Opoku Nti and they brought Anane Kobo. I adored these players as my heroes and due to the competition I chose Okwahu United,” he told GTVSports+.
Yeboah left Okwahu the following season to join German Bundesliga side FC Saarbrücken before joining Eintracht Frankfurt where he claimed 68 goals in 123 appearances.
The powerful striker then secured a move to the English top-flight league by joining Leeds United where some of his goals have been ranked among the all time best.
The Kumasi-born scored 29 goals in 59 appearances for Ghana’s Black Stars.
Ghana legend, Samuel Osei Kuffuor has praised Kurt Okraku-led Ghana Football Association(GFA) in an interview with Joy Sports Saturday.
According to the former Bayern Munich stalwart defender, Okraku’s administration has so far been amazing contrary to how some critics of the association has preached.
Speaking on the Joy Sports Link on Saturday, the former Normalisation Committee member gave positive reviews.
Kuffour said: “Kurt Okraku and his team are so far doing amazing. I can’t judge him now but will have to wait till after the season or after tournaments.”
The former Bayern star also noted: “They’ve been in charge for just a short time, and so far, so good”.
Okraku was elected in October 2019 after elections were organised by the Normalisation Committee, a body which included Kuffour himself.
Describing the last two years, Kuffour said Ghana football has had a torrid time, but express hope that with all hands on deck, things will get better.
Former Ghana defender, Samuel Osei Kuffour has named Netherlands legend Marc Overmars as the toughest opponent he faced during his career in Europe.
Kuffour faced many of the game’s greatest stars in both the Bundesliga and European Champions League, but the defender picked Overmars ss the toughest player he played against.
He recalled his first meeting with Marc Overmars. It was the first leg of 1995 Champions League semi-final between Bayern Munich and Ajax in Munich.
The match finished goalless but Ajax qualified to the final with 5-2 on aggregate. Kuffour admits he was tormented by the winger in the first leg. He explains that he played in an unfamiliar right-back position in that match.
“The best player that has given me a tough time is Marc Overmars,” he said on Saturday’s Joy Sports Link on Joy FM.
“In the 1995 Champions League first leg in Munich, I was told that I will play against [Nwankwo] Kanu.
“I was so glad that I was going to play against my friend but 30 minutes into the game, I was told that I was going to play a different position. I thought I was playing in defensive midfield and I was happy because I thought I would face Seedorf but they mentioned right back..
“I was surprised and they showed me videos of Overmars terrorizing right-backs. He gave me a tough time.”
He also heaped praises on France and Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.
“The second person was Thierry Henry in Highbury. I was glad to play against the top players,” he said.
The former Bayern Munich and Roma defender made a total of 353 club matches and won six league titles as well as the Champions League in 2001 with the German giants.
Former Ghana defender Samuel Osei Kuffour believes it was needless for Kwesi Appiah to change Asamoah Gyan as captain of the Black Stars prior to the commencement of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations held in Egypt.
Appiah took the captain’s armband from Gyan to Andre Ayew – a decision which nearly forced the former Sunderland striker to end national team duties had it not been the President of the land, Akuffo Addo.
Due to the abysmal perfomance of the team during the tournament, many indcated that , the decision taken by Appiah was wrong and unnecessary.
Samuel Osei Kuffour in a conversation with Joy Sports Nathaniel Attoh
“It was a bit disturbing for the NC. I could see that some people are hit somewhere. You could see that Asamoah [Gyan] was really hurt about the whole situation,” Kuffour said on Joy FM.
“It goes all the way to the President [Akufo-Addo] so NC had become limited. NC had nothing more to say about it. That is why the President came in and spoke to the two players with the coach and the [sports] ministry. In my view, it was a little bit hectic. Why couldn’t we wait until after the tournament then we make the change the captaincy?
“That period, Kwasi Appiah in my view should have probably had a second thought about the whole issue before making that decision [changing captains] and I think he [Asamoah Gyan] shouldn’t have said he wanted to retire. He should have calmed down. When you say those things, people may take it for granted.”
“I would just leave it as it is [If I were Kwesi Appiah]. Asamoah Gyan is the captain. If he doesn’t play, Andre is the captain. Andre is like the second captain. He will wear the armband.”
“That will seal the case. For bringing Andre in and Asamoah out with the atmosphere and all that. They can laugh but within their hearts, how well would [they collaborate]?”
Black Stars haven’t won the Afcon trophy since 1982.
Kwame Aboakye Mensah – Personal assistant to the Chief of Staff of Manhyia, Kofi Badu – has revealed the reasons behind the omission of representatives from Asante Kotoko Old Players Association and the Supporters wings – Circleon the newly-constituted Board of Directors of Asante Kotoko.
A 9-member board of directors was named to steer the affairs of the Porcupine Warriors Thursday afternoon by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
Conspicuously missing were reps of the Circle and AKOPA despite getting reps on previous boards formed by Manhyia.
Aboakye Mensah disclosed that AKOPA has been on the quite nowadays and nothing is heard about them as it used to be.
However, on the circles, he indicated that the Committee is yet to submit their report and will give a directive on that since the mandate given to them included institutional representation.
“We have heard about the complaints and agitations from the circles,” he told Kumasi-based Oyerepa FM.
“Most boards have had reps from circles and AKOPA(Asante Kotoko Old players Association) and other boards set up didn’t get reps from these stakeholders .
“The prof Lydia Nkansah Committee is expected to look into institutional representations as part of their mandate.
“Its being long we heard about AKOPA ,they also need some sort of restructuring.
“For the circles,there are a lot of issues so they also need restructuring.Circles are very important to Kotoko, they are the lifeblood of the club.
Everything in the world seems so insignificant now, but there will be a time (though it’s unclear when) everything is back to normal.
These are indeed trying times and our humanity is being tested.As regards, former Ghana goalkeeper William Amamoo has launched the ‘Black Panther Foundation’ to support needy Ghanains during these turbulent and tumultuous times.
The Foundation among other things seeks to provide scholarships to needy but brilliant students right from the Senior High School to the Tertiary and also support needy Ghanains in dire need most importantly retired footballers. Presently, the foundation is catering for the medical bills of for international, Agyemang ‘Rambo’ Duah who has been battling stroke for years now.
Inspired by the vision of his late dad, E.Y. Amamoo and former goalie, Ibrahim Dossey, Amamoo is bent on reaching out a lot of Ghanaians in the future.
” These are miserable times for humanity. A lot of businesses have collapsed, people have lost their jobs and can no longer fend for their family. Our humanity is really being put to test.” He told kickgh.com.
“It was my late father’s dream to support needy but brilliant student to the tertiary. I want to fulfill his dream. My foundation is currently helping a lot of people in the country (Ghana) and I am most particular about retired footballers who are maimed and are in dire need.” He quipped.
“It’s our duty and collective responsibility to stand with the poor and the needy in the society. I am where I am today because someone lent me a helping hand, pushed me and encouraged me to soldier on regardless of the challenges. It is just right that we do same to the generation that comes after us. I am glad and thankful that I can help save life and give the hopeless hope. It is really fulfilling and refreshing!”
Amamoo it will be recalled played for local sides Liberty Professionals, Dawu Youngsters and Heart of Lions before embarking on a career abroad that saw him play in Romania, Egypt and Sweden and Israel and was in post for the Black Stars in friendly against Australia in 2008.
He is currently the head of goalkeeper’s department at Gefle IG and also the head of goalkeeper’s department at Niu; National Youth Football Development (males&females) in Gastrikland, Sweden.
The three-member committee constituted to investigate board member of Hearts of Oak Alhaji Briamah Moro Akanbi, has exonerated him of any wrongdoings.
Reports monitored on Kumasi-based Oyerepa FM, indicates that the ad-hoc Committee is done with proceedings and has submitted its report to the board members.
Alhaji Akambi was accused of taking 200 Ghana Cedis bribe from the Chief Executive Officer of Division One League side Nkoranza Warriors Kuuku Bartels after introducing him to the Board Chairman of the club Togbe Afede for a possible signing of player Emmanuel Sarkodie from the division one outfit
However, the deal fell through after the player joined rivals Asante Kotoko.
He was later accused of accepting bribes from the division one club, and further demanding a percentage on the transfer of the player should Hearts of Oak eventually sign him [Sarkodie].
Background
Hearts Of Oak expressed interest in signing Division One League side, Nkoranza Warriors midfielder Emmanuel Sarkodie.
The player was also on the radar of Asante Kotoko and Aduana Stars.
Reports indicate that the President of Nkoranza Warriors, Kuuku Bartels was invited by Hearts Of Oak CEO Frederick Nana K. Moore to have a discussion on the player to acquire his services.
After the meeting which was held at the Hearts Of Oak Secretariat, Frederick Moore gave an amount of GHS 500 to Kuuku Bartels to use for transportation back to his base.
Akanbi, seeing Bartels off, allegedly took the GHS 200 with a promise to help necessitate the transfer of Sarkodie to the Rainbow Club.
