Sports
Dwamena, choose life over football!
This is not how a top striker may want to hang his boots and bid an untimely farewell to the beautiful game.
But sometimes, much as one may try to fight off the tempest in the most bravado of styles, nature also has its way of dealing with matters.
It may fair; it might be unfair. But that is nature.
So, it came to pass that one of the nation’s fine strikers – Raphael Dwamena, nearly three weeks ago, collapsed while in action for Blau-Weiß Linz in an Austrian Cup match against Hartberg FC.
The player reportedly clutched his chest in the opening half and slumped onto the turf – battling desperately for survival. Heartily, paramedics on duty salvaged the situation and he was whisked to the hospital for further attention. He survived the scare!
This is not the first time Dwamena had been hit by such a heart-related incident.
In 2019, the striker suffered a new heartbreaking setback to his career as Spanish club Zaragoza detected an unknown heart problem during a routine medical check.
Indeed, this is the third time Dwamena had faced serious health problems – with English side Brighton pulling out of a deal to sign the striker from Swiss side FC Zurich because he failed a medical earlier.
Indeed, he had to stop playing for a while because of the risk of suffering a heart attack.
In 2017, Dwamena’s desire to play in the English premiership fell through because of his heart problem. He had agreed on personal terms with the English Premier League side Brighton and Holves Albion after they had a bid, reported to be around 15m euros (£13.8m), accepted by his Swiss club.
Sadly, Brighton had no choice but to back out and wished Dwamena well, having realised his situation was grave.
This latest incident in Austria must be the strongest possible warning to the player to, perhaps, stay off the game lastingly before it becomes a day late and a dollar short.
Dwamena is said to have been advised to hang up his boots permanently, but after a year, he doggedly decided to throw caution to the wind. Now, a renewed warning has been thrown in.
“After what has happened, Raphael will have to seriously assess his future as a player. He has already realised all this,” Sporting Director of Blau-Weiß Linz, warned.
The former Ghana Red Bull Academy top goal-poacher was called into Black Stars’ 30-man squad for the 2017 African Cup of Nations but was dropped after the squad had been slashed.
Dwamena, however, made his international debut in June 2017 in an African Cup of Nations qualifier against Ethiopia, where he scored a brace to mark the new era of youngsters being introduced into the national team. But just as he was being tipped to take over from legend scorer Asamoah Gyan, his heart issue popped up strongly – leaving the national selectors with a Hobson’s choice.
Much as we would have loved Dwamena to recover fully, dash to the field, pick a fine fettle of form and possibly make a triumphant return into the Black Stars, it is limpidly clear, destiny would not allow him any further as medical reports had suggested.
In March 2012, 24-year-old Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba announced his retirement from football, after he collapsed and suffered a cardiac arrest during his club’s FA Cup quarter-final tie with Tottenham Hotspur.
After being discharged from the hospital, Muamba traveled to Belgium to have minor heart surgery, which was said to have been routine and had no bearing on whether the player would return to action.
But Muamba said he received advice during his time there, prompting his retirement.
“Since suffering my heart attack and being discharged from hospital, I had remained utterly positive in the belief that I could one day resume my playing career and play for Bolton Wanderers once again,” said Muamba in a statement.
“As part of my ongoing recovery, I traveled to Belgium to seek further medical advice from a leading cardiologist. But the news I received was obviously not what I had hoped it would be and it means I am now announcing my retirement from professional football.”
Hope this would serve as timely advice for Dwamena.
Certainly, it was not the way he had envisaged to end his career, but sometimes, that is how hard and unfair life can be. It is a difficult decision to take, especially when the player believes he has lots of energy and football bottled up in his willing body.
Dwamena, it is over to you to choose life over death! Please, choose life – like Muamba did.
PlainTalk with John Vigah
Attention will be at the Golden City Park in Berekum tomorrow as Hearts of Oak lock horns with Berekum Chelsea FC in a Ghana Premier League Matchday 6 game that promises an electrifying atmosphere.
Lying sixth on the league table with two wins and three draws, the Phobians visit a ground that has been favourable to them in recent times. In their last three visits to the Golden City Park, Hearts have amassed seven out of nine points, putting them in strong contention to win.
Head Coach Mas-Ud Didi Dramani says, “The team is making progress in its tactical identity despite the lack of goals, and this is something we are working on ahead of this game.”
Hearts will come face-to-face with former coach Samuel Boadu, whose side lies a distant 13th on the league table with a win and a draw from four games. Coach Boadu is yet to celebrate a victory over the Phobians since joining the Berekum lads and would hope this fixture marks a turnaround.
Ninth-placed Vision FC would trek to the Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park in Bechem to play Bechem United, while new boys Hohoe United host Aduana FC at the Hohoe Sports Stadium.
Returnees Swedru All Blacks will welcome Basake Holy Stars to the Swedru Sports Stadium, with defending league champions Bibiani Gold Stars staying put at their backyard, the Dun’s Park, to welcome second-placed Heart of Lions FC on Monday.
Today at the TnA Stadium in Tarkwa, Medeama SC will clash with Samartex FC in a Western derby. Other games scheduled for today would see Eleven Wonders FC host Karela United at the Swedru Sports Stadium, while Dreams FC face Nations FC at the Tuba Astro Turf.
By Raymond Ackumey
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Ghana coach Otto Addo may not command the kind of fear and respect like Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Luis Enrique and others in the modern game, but in his small corner, he is gradually climbing the ladder to greatness in Ghana, Africa and the world at large.
The aforementioned coaches attained greatness with club sides and, therefore, open an argument over whether one is not comparing apples to oranges. But no matter how one looks at it, they are all coaches harbouring similar ambitions to attain greatness in their fields.
Otto Addo is one of the young and upcoming coaches holding a lot of promise and was getting experience with his association with Borussia Dortmund in Germany until his path was directed by a Ghana call.
Although he was born in Germany, Otto Addo’s association with Ghana football dates back to 1999, spanning a period of about seven years; commencing with a 5–0 rout of Eritrea on February 28. He gained international prominence when he joined the squad for the 2000 African Cup of Nations. He featured as a midfielder in the team for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
But like it’s often said, a prophet is not recognised in his own home and his efforts partially went unnoticed. He’ll go into the annals as one of the Black Stars coaches to have been fairly or otherwise criticised not just by ‘football people’ but fans who doubted him.
His sack has been discussed at various platforms by people whose knowledge and tactical acumen about the game remains questionable. Ghana’s Minister for Sports and Recreation, Mr Kofi Adams, at one point openly stated his doubts over Otto Addo’s ability to actually deliver.
No coach would feel secured in such turbulent times, but coach Otto Addo kept his calm and composure. On the corridors of his employers, however, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) president, Kurt Okraku, openly rallied support for him, though a few ‘doubting Thomases’ still questioned his credentials.
That painted a picture of a people that forget easily and are quick to crucify. In a brief moment of adversity, Ghanaians forgot how Otto Addo was brought in to pluck qualification for the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup from the jaws of the Super Eagles of Nigeria with a solitary goal over two legs.
The upshot of that feat was not one any Nigerian would want to remember. The scenes after the match were awfully chaotic, as fans vented their anger on facilities at the stadium. Back in Ghana, it was partying all night and day.
Otto Addo was labeled the football magician. He achieved something no Ghanaian coach had ever accomplished; a feat which Ghana with her all-time best teams could not attain. That was the climax to which Otto Addo took Ghana football, generating calls to start believing in the Ghanaian coach.
Following that to the World Cup proper was another story altogether. It was, or may have been, our poorest show at any of the four World Cup appearances. And just as it was stipulated in his contract, he bowed out after the Qatar World Cup to mind his Borussia Dortmund business with peace.
But as fate would have it, nature found a way to renew his romance with Ghana football after an unconvincing start to the America, Canada and Mexico dream World Cup under special advisor turned coach, Chris Hughton.
Ghana started the qualifiers on a winning note but not a convincing performance. It was saved by an Inaki Williams goal scored on the sixth minute of additional time against Madagascar at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium. The Black Stars then slumped to a 1-0 defeat at the Stade de Moroni to Comoros to heighten calls for a new technical direction.
Then stepped in Otto Addo when Ghana occupied the fourth position in Group I with three points but with the countries in the group evenly matched.
By Andrew Nortey
