2015 AFCON: Top 5 Dangerous players to watch in Ghana's tournament

Published on: 08 January 2015

Top 5 to watch at 2015 AFCON

By Akyereko Frimpong Manson Follow Akyereko on Twitter: @AkyerekOfficial

Ghana head coach Avram Grant announced his final 23-man squad on Wednesday night to signal his readiness for 2015 AFCON tournament but general expectations are low back home.

While majority of Ghanaian fans are not expecting the team to flourish on their return to Equatorial Guinea for a continental tournament under three years, there players who are expected to shine at the tournament.

GHANAsoccernet.com's Akyereko Frimpong Manson picks five players who are sure bets to shine at the tournament which starts next weekend.

SOLOMON ASANTE - TP Mazembe

Asante is a secret Messi

Ghana's own version of Lionel Messi - the little flea. Sometimes people just wonder why he is still playing on the shores of Africa as his massive could permit him to go anywhere. Asante's 173 cm height is rather an asset to him added to his qualities on the ball. He is the only player in the current Ghana squad for the AFCON tournament who could put defenders under perpetual pressure with his nimble-footed techniques. At one of Ghana's training sessions in Ghana before they left for Spain, Asante scored a goal that got top Ghana FA officials and head coach Avram Grant drooling. Note that he benched Everton's Christian Atsu during the qualifiers due to his top form in games. In DR Congo, he is affectionately called Le Diable to somehow elaborate his cruelty to defenders on the flanks. He's 24 and this is going to be his second AFCON tournament.

BABA RAHMAN - Augsburg

Baba Rahman of Augsburg

This would be a tournament of truth for Baba Rahman. Perhaps the Augsburg man needs a bitter international platform like the AFCON to further advertise his qualities to the world. It is quite obvious that his form has contributed to the axing of the very experienced Samuel Inkoom. Baba, who is a product of Dreams FC in Ghana is not only good defensively but surging forward, he could be one of the most poisonous predators to defenders at the tournament. The youngster, 20, graces his glistening style of play with some electrifying pace and vision. He was part of the Ghana U20 squad that won bronze at the 2013 FIFA U20 World Cup. In the German Bundesliga, he is highly-rated and if not the best youngster, he's the second best and one of the best around Europe at his age. Note him down to shine.

ANDRE AYEW - Olympique Marseille

Andre Ayew is no stranger to AFCONs

After playing his debut AFCON tournament as far back as 2008, the son of African football legend - Abedi Ayew, has shown enough class and quality in his two World Cup tournaments and the three AFCON tournaments he has played in. Andre is a real steamroller and on good days could carry the entire team his broad shoulders. Andre is a spirited performer on the pitch and highlights his qualities with his tenacious and resilience on the ball. Andre is regarded as the next Ghana captain after Asamoah Gyan due to his cohesive abilities.

ASAMOAH GYAN - Al Ain

Asamoah Gyan would leave Ghana to the tournament

Rated fourth best striker worldwide. Gyan is a real goal devil and is feared not only for his qualities as an attacker but his insane conversion rate. Gyan is also known to be a strong character. He is currently Ghana's top-scorer of all-time. At Al Ain he is nearing a double century goal record. At the 2014 FIFA World Cup, retired world-class players who earned their names as famous scorers including Dutchman Ruud van Nistelrooy was surprised to hear Gyan still plays in the Arabian Peninsula. Gyan has scored 45 international goals for Ghana, just a goal below Wayne Rooney who is considered an English legend. It is also a fact that he has more FIFA World Cup goals has most of the world's acclaimed strikers. And, Oh! Gyan has scored more goals than any other African footballer at the FIFA World Cup, breaking Roger Milla's decades old record in Brazil.

EMMANUEL AGYEMANG-BADU - Udinese

Badu is a secret bullet holder

Powerful midfielder! The Udinese man is a tournament player and his experience with the team is in the fact that despite being just 24, he has played in every single AFCON tournament since Angola 2010 which Ghana were losing finalist to Egypt, winning silver. Badu is noted for his workaholic displays in midfield and is referred to as nika-nika, a local Ghanaian name for the corn mill machine. Opposition goalkeepers and defenders must well start devising strategies from preventing him from his seemingly unstoppable belters - like the won that earned him a nomination for the FIFA Puskas Award in 2012 - it is also worth noting that thunderous goal was scored at an AFCON tournament against Guinea. The technique is well known to him and he could unleash it his discretion.

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KWABENA PISO 9 years ago
Nice article, always spot on.
Frenzy 9 years ago
Ghana’s full 23-man squad Goalkeepers: Razak Braimah (Mirandes, Spain), Fatau Dauda (AshGold) and Ernest Sowah (Don Bosco, DR Congo) Defenders: Harrison Afful (Esperance, Tunisia), John Boye (Erciyesspor, Turkey), Jonathan Mensah (Evian, France), Awal Mohammed (Maritzburg, South Africa), Baba Rahman (Augsburg, Germany), Gyimah Edwin (Mpumalanga Black Aces, South Africa), Daniel Amartey, (FC Copenhagen, Denmark) Midfielders: Rabiu Mohammed (Krasnodar, Russia), Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu (Udinese, Italy), Afriyie Acquah (Parma, Italy), Solomon Asante (T.P. Mazembe, DR Congo), Christian Atsu (Everton, England), Mubarak Wakaso (Celtic, Scotland), Andre Ayew (Olympique Marseille,France), Frank Acheampong (Anderlecht, Belgium), David Accam (Chicago Fire, USA) Strikers: Jordan Ayew (Lorient, France), Mahatma Otoo (Songdal, Norway) Asamoah Gyan (Al Ain, UAE), Kwesi Appiah (Cambridge United, England).
Nana 9 years ago
Nice story. However, please check the wording very well next time
jo 9 years ago
Masa, do u keep records at all? Baba Rahman was 20yrs old during the under 20 world cup, and after 2yrs, he's still 20yrs?? Agyemang-Badu was 20yrs at the 2009 under 20 world cup, and after 6yrs, u tel us he's 24? Solomon Asante was my cousin's mate in Jhs... Ma cousin is now 33... And u tel us Asante is 24? Masa, its this same negligence that has led to the ban of our starlets.... Pls be truthful small wai... And do ur research well ..
Mandela 9 years ago
Jo now how old are they accordng to ur version?. Badu's registered age in 2009 was not 20 check ur records well. And ur uncle can be 9yrs older dan his mate no doubt abt dat. If u cant prove deir actual age jes shut up n stop de childish talk
Mandela 9 years ago
Jo now how old are they accordng to ur version?. Badu's registered age in 2009 was not 20 check ur records well. And ur cousin can be 9yrs older dan his mate no doubt abt dat. If u cant prove deir actual age jes shut up n stop de childish talk
roy 9 years ago
Jo those ages u saw there being given by the writer r jst football ages,all the players the writer wrote their names r above 30yrs that is the secret jo..
KoNvI¢T 9 years ago
Jo,u shud kno,undstnd and hav it at de bak of ur mind dat,FIFA U20 are PLAYERs who are 20yrs and below.So dont tink all de U20 PLAYERs are 20yrs cuz sum might be 16yrs, 17yrs, 18yrs, 19yrs n 20yrs precisely
kuku 9 years ago
lots of errors in your writing. Check your errors!
Mandela 9 years ago
Eeeiii Roy! So Ayew is also above 30yrs wat a shock! Dnt tell me u r not in JSS cos u lacking alot of reasoning
jo 9 years ago
All of u who have countered me are obviously those who support overaged players... Inkoom has 4 children now...journalists say he's 24... His wife, Omega is 29... And i know u know he's certainly older than her... Or because he's smallish, u'll defend his age? John Mensah says he's 33... He got divorced last yr after a 15year marriage... So u mean he was 18 when he married? God is watching u all.

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