Sports
Any help for Abu Imoro?
The name Abu Imoro may not ring a bell to many of today’s domestic football followers. Interestingly, ever since Abu hanged his boots, we have not had any player by that name in the national premier league. One stands to be corrected on that assertion though.
Even if we had it on our blind side, that player may not have glittered to win the hearts of many, particularly in the 80s and early 90s, as the REAL (cap mine) Abu Imoro did so naturally and effortlessly.
Of course, he may not be a player of the first water, but his poise and confidence on the ball coupled with a crazy obsession to strip bare the most-feared players, was always a gorgeous spectacle.
Indeed, he was a sweet blend of ruggedness and adroitness; but not extremely flamboyant in his midfield role. With his sturdy and solid frame – robustly recognised by a ‘fiery’ face, you need to possess some incarnated physical ability and brains to disarm him of the ball.
That is not all; aside from being a ‘spoiler’ particularly in midfield, his supreme ability to control an aerial ball on his chest – regaining his balance and pirouettes early enough to tame it onto his feet, easily makes him the crowd’s favourite.
Abu first played alongside football legend Abedi Ayew Pele at RTU in Tamale, before coming down south to feature for Great Olympics.
According to the President of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG), Kwabena Yeboah, the story of Abu Moro cuts bones – describing him a huge talented star.
“I remember him vividly when we went to Liberia in 1987 for the SCSA Tournament. My goodness, he was something else. Indeed, Abu was mainly the reason Ghana won the trophy beating Liberia 2-0 in the final with George Weah and James ‘Salinsa’ Debbah, then featuring for the Lone Star.
“Hopefully, the media spotlight will bring some redemption,” he remarked.
Forlornly, the Accra New Town-born Abu Imoro did not blow out or mushroom into the kind of player Ghanaians had hoped for as he regrettably got hooked into drug addiction that eventually tore him up and left him staggering into poverty.
Today, the former midfield dynamo still reels from the ‘bad side’ of his past and survives solely on the benevolence of friends and loved ones.
On many occasions, he had been supported by former teammate Abedi Pele and other sympathisers with regard to rehabilitation. Sadly, Abu is always quick to go back to his ‘vomit’ anytime his situation appears to improve.
Indeed, if you set eyes on the player, known in Ghana football as Tigana (named after the great French midfielder), you might break down in tears – after recollecting his halcyon past.
Before he got ensnared into hard drugs, Abu had his own house, car, wife and children. When things got out of hand, the wife had no choice than to leave. His house and car were reportedly sold and his riches all evaporating into thin air with the speed of lightening.
On hearing his latest plight, some of his contemporaries and other ex-players of Great Olympics including George Alhassan, Godwin Attram, Isaac Acquaye, Awuley Quaye and John Naawu, last week paid him a visit to solidarise with him.
At present, Abu is looking for a new window of opportunity to turn a new leaf. He says he wants the nation to help him get over his drugs life. He pleads earnestly!
Any help?
By John Vigah
Sports
GoldStars GPL feat no fluke
No prophet in Ghana would have been taken serious with prophesies of Bibiani GoldStars becoming the new champions of the 2024/25 Ghana Premier League (GPL).
That is not to take anything away from Coach Frimpong Manso, an Asante Kotoko legend, and his boys for the yeoman’s job they did in the just ended season.
They deserve every bit of the plaudits coming from well-wishers.
They came, they saw and conquered on their fourth year (2021/2022 season) in the elite stage of Ghana football.
Of course, this can only be a reality in the end but not a sound prediction at the start of the season.
But, so has it been. Stories like that of GoldStars sharply brings to mind a similar fairytale orchestrated in the advanced English Premier League (GPL) with the 2015/16 edition.
In the face of the Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool dominance, Leicester emerged with a bang, conquering every hurdle in sight with unsung heroes like Jamie Vardy, Wilfred Ndidi, Shinji Okazaki, Leonardo Ulloa, Danny Drinkwater, Robert Huth, Riyad Mahrez and others.
There was no indication of that sort at the start of the season.
As usual, the focus was on the aforementioned heavyweights but Leicester took the competition by storm to record a historic win.
Back home, the GoldStars story is not different. Despite the recent struggles by perennial favourites, Accra Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko, the two have always found their ways in fans prediction regarding the side to emerge winners.
Interestingly, both sides just managed to end up in the top four after Nations FC’s decision to abandon a game against Basake Holy Stars who cost them dearly, in the end, forfeiting the said game and going ahead to suffer a further three points deduction penalty.
Nations FC were actually the top favourites for the title until that ill-fated match against Basake Holy Stars.
Campaigning for the second year in the competition, very few followers of the game gave the Timber giants any chance.
But in the same ‘Rambo’ style, teams like Medeama SC and Aduana Stars descended on the GPL, GoldStars emerged with all guns blazing, strategically employing a tactic of making the Dun’s Park in Bibiani, a waterloo for visiting teams.
On a few occasions, they sprung surprises on the journey, recording a few upsets against gullible teams including Hearts of Oak in Accra.
They had a promising coach like Frimpong Manso who is yet to establish himself among the elites local coaches maybe because he is yet to work with any of the established club sides in the country.
But winning the local competition with a less endowed club makes you a legend, and truly, he has become one.
To management and other members of the technical team, one could only congratulate them for a job well executed.
The players have a huge role to play in proving that the feat was no fluke and that GoldStars has come to stay; and would continue to make an impact in the local game.
Much is not known about these players except Vincent Atinga who plied his trade with Hearts of Oak and Medeama SC. Others like Samuel Attah Kumi, Frank Amankwah, Kelvin Oppong, Charles Gyamfi Kamara, Abdul Farouk Amoaful, Gideon Anaba, Samuel Acheampong, Foster Agyei and Yakubu Haqq remain emerging talents aiming to carve a niche for themselves.
Definitely with the new challenge, some areas of the team would be strengthened as they face the finest sides on the continent.
Another season with a new champion should also serve as a wake-up call for the likes of Hearts or Oak and Asante Kotoko to quickly return to their glory days lest they lose their enviable place among the football elite clubs. Well-done GoldStars.
By Andrew Nortey
Sports
Golden Kick, a tricky obstacle for Kotoko in MTN FA Cup final tomorrow
The University of Ghana Stadium will come alive tomorrow when Ghanaian giants, Kumasi Asante Kotoko, take on lower tier side, Golden Kicks FC, in a thrilling climax to the 2024/25 MTN FA Cup final tomorrow at exactly 5pm.
The much anticipated game, which is more than just a battle for silverware but a meeting of tradition and ambition for both teams, is expected to draw thousands of football fanatics across the country to the Legon stadium for what promises to be a dramatic and tricky finale to this season’s domestic cup competition.
After an unsuccessful season in the Ghana Premier League which saw the Reds miss out on the title to Bibiani GoldStars, the Porcupine Warriors will be desperate to finish the season on a high by clinching the title to secure a place in the next CAF interclub competition.
The Reds have a rich history in the FA Cup competition having won it nine times and will be eyeing their 10th title to stamp their authority as the overall best.
Before reaching this stage, Asante Kotoko eliminated formidable opponents like True Democracy, Sekondi Eleven Wise and Berekum Chelsea in the semi-final.
The availability of players like Justice Blay, Kwame Opoku, Frederick Asare, Peter Amidu Acquah and striker Albert Amoah, among other notable players will be a big boost to Coach Karim Zito’s side.
Meanwhile, the task will not be an easy one for Kotoko looking at the way their opponents reached the final with wins over Accra Hearts of Oak and Bechem United before climaxing it with Attram d’ Visser.
Coached by young and tactical Fiifi Parker Hanson, Golden Kicks have a combined youthful team with tactical discipline to punch well above their weight and relish the opportunity to shock the giants once more on a bigger stage.
This final is more than just a contest between Premier League royalty and a hungry underdog but rather a tale of two contrasting football identities. Kotoko brings the weight of tradition, experience, legacy and pressure while Golden Kicks arrive with nothing to lose and everything to prove which makes the game a promised one, full of thrills and fireworks.
By Enoch Ntiamoah
