by Silas Boahene | Jul 13, 2024 | Africa, Europe, Ghana, International, Soccer
Olympique Marseille is preparing to make a move for Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah during the summer transfer window.
The English-born Ghanaian has struggled for consistent game time at Arsenal and may be looking to leave ahead of the new season. Nketiah made only ten starts in the Premier League last season and has been overshadowed by Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz in the team’s lineup.
Marseille, which has also been linked with another English player, Mason Greenwood, is closely monitoring Nketiah’s situation at Arsenal. Reports indicate that the club has already begun preliminary steps towards a potential summer transfer.
New Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi, who spent the past two seasons in England with Brighton, is expected to play a significant role in persuading Nketiah to join Stade Velodrome.
Nketiah’s current contract with Arsenal runs until the summer of 2027, and a loan move might be possible depending on negotiations between the two clubs. The 25-year-old striker has scored 19 goals in 116 appearances in the English Premier League.
by Silas Boahene | Jul 13, 2024 | Africa, Europe, Ghana, International, Soccer
Nana Yaw Amponsah and his Samaritan Investment Group have announced their disassociation from Moldovan champions Petrocub Hincesti after a transformative six-month tenure.
Earlier this year, Amponsah and his group took charge of the club, marking a significant era of change. The former Asante Kotoko CEO, serving as Petrocub Hincesti’s president, helped the club clinch their first Moldovan Premier League title and the Moldovan Cup in the recent season.
Despite these achievements, both parties have agreed to terminate the contract. In a statement, Samaritan Investment Group cited “unusual activities” and a “mismatch in vision” as the reasons for the decision.
“The decision was made due to the discovery of unusual activities within the club and a mismatch in vision regarding the future sporting direction of the club,” the statement read. “As a reputable consortium with a proven track record of success, we take these matters seriously and have entrusted our legal team to investigate and pursue all uncovered irregularities to their legal and ethical conclusions.”
“We state unequivocally that we met all conditions under the agreement as would be revealed with time despite numerous breaches and violations by our partners.”
“We appreciate the achievements made during our partnership and wish the club success in its future endeavors.”
by Silas Boahene | Jul 13, 2024 | AFCON, Africa, Ghana, International, Soccer
Ghanaian football legend Osei Kofi has attributed the Black Stars’ failure to secure the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title to unfulfilled promises made by former President John Dramani Mahama.
Rev. Osei Kofi, a member of Ghana’s victorious 1963 and 1965 AFCON squads, believes that these unmet commitments have hindered the nation’s recent football successes. He pointed out that before the 2015 tournament in Equatorial Guinea, former President Mahama made a symbolic gesture to past AFCON winners, which Kofi deemed insufficient to lift what he described as a historical curse stemming from unmet promises to earlier victorious squads.
Speaking on the issue, Rev. Kofi highlighted, “When we were going to Cameroon [for the 2021 AFCON], I heard a prophet on Asempa FM saying that if leadership didn’t look back and cater for the old ones that won the cup, they wouldn’t get to the quarter-final, and truly, we came back with one point.”
Quoting from the Bible, Kofi emphasized the importance of fulfilling promises: “In Ecclesiastes chapter 5:4-6, it says, ‘When you make a commitment or promise, you should not postpone fulfilling your vow. Failing to keep your promises is considered foolish, and God does not look favourably upon such behaviour.’ If you know you won’t honour it, don’t make the promise.”
Despite Ghana’s impressive journey to the 2015 final, where they led in a penalty shootout against Ivory Coast before narrowly losing, Kofi contends that unresolved promises dating back to Ghana’s earlier AFCON triumphs have had a lasting negative impact. He pointed specifically to promises of houses made by former leaders such as Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and Ignatius Kutu Acheampong, which were never fulfilled.
Kofi criticized the difference between a promise and a token, highlighting the disparity in rewards given to players over the years: “The recent team placed second in Equatorial Guinea, and they were given Cherokee cars. In 1965, when we won the cup and brought it, there was a big banquet. Acheampong promised houses to the players if they won the cup, but after he was removed from office, the promises were not fulfilled.”
Kofi concluded by suggesting that if Mahama had fulfilled his promises, Ghana would have won the 2015 AFCON: “The five penalties, Ghana scored the first two, and Ivory Coast missed. Ghana needed one more to win, and we missed. The token took us to the final, but it couldn’t win the cup. He needed to fulfil the promise, and we would have been champions.”
His comments have sparked discussions on the importance of fulfilling promises to past players and the potential impact of these commitments on future successes.
by Silas Boahene | Jul 11, 2024 | Africa, Boxing, Ghana, International, Soccer
Kiryat Gat striker Vivian Adjei Konadu has rejoined the Black Queens camp ahead of their Women’s International Friendly against the Nadeshiko of Japan.
Vivian, who was part of Coach Nora’s pre-camping squad, steps in for Freda Ayisi, who is indisposed and unable to make the journey to Kanazawa, Japan.
The Black Queens arrived in Kanazawa on Tuesday and have already conducted two successful training sessions at Seibu Ryokuchi Park.
The former Thunder Queens player is expected to train with her teammates on Thursday and Friday in preparation for the game against Japan on Saturday.
The match, which will be broadcast live on the Ghana Football App, is scheduled for Saturday, July 13, 2024, at the Go Go Curry Stadium in Kanazawa, Ishikawa.
by Silas Boahene | Jul 11, 2024 | Africa, Europe, Ghana, International, Soccer
Ghanaian youngster Richmond Gyamfi has joined Danish club Aarhus Gymnastikforening (AGF). The 19-year-old forward signed a five-year contract with AGF, moving from Hobro IF ahead of the upcoming season.
“It is a big day for me, and I am proud to join a big club like AGF. I feel ready to take the next step in Danish football, and AGF is the right place for me to continue my development,” Gyamfi said. “I am looking forward to meeting my new teammates and participating in the start-up.”
Gyamfi will join his new teammates in the coming days as pre-season preparations begin. During his brief stint at Hobro, the talented forward scored three goals and provided four assists in ten matches.
“Richmond fits into our style of play. He is fast, has good physicality, and is a skilled finisher. He adds an x-factor to our team and brings a forwardness that is both unusual and impressive. We look forward to integrating him into the team,” said AGF Sports Manager Stig Inge Bjørnebye.
“We have followed him closely in the spring and are very happy to welcome him to AGF, where he can continue his positive development within our framework and further unleash his talent.”
