Opinion: Why Montreal Impact's Dominic Oduro inclusion in the Ghana, Canada friendly will be vital
By: Odeneho Stevenson
The public must not misinterpret this commentary as a way of trying to force a player on the technical heads of the Black Stars but rather see it as a way of alerting the selector who is doing well and its impact he would have on the team.
Time passed the media have been accused of always collecting money from players and use their loud medium to promote them then after been given the opportunity their output are nothing good to write home about but this is not exactly what we intend to with Domonic Oduro who plies his football trade in the US Major Soccer League with Montreal Impact..
Oduro has not had any major stint with the senior national team except for the appearance he made in a friendly against Chile in 2012 where he got injured in the process, that notwithstanding his exploits with his various clubs sides have been phenomenon.
Taking advantage of his role as winger, Dominic Oduro is one of the reason Major League outfit Montreal Impact has been extremely solid in the US league. Oduro has formed a formidable partnership with former Chelsea former Didier Drodga as the pair has been the driving force of Montreal current resurgence.
With Black Stars captain and lead striker Asamoah Gyan waiting on series of test before he can be declared fit or possible ruled out for the Canada friendly, with the team too facing squad depth, the Black Stars can hugely rely on the immense experience of the former Chicago fire forward. With his many years on the pitch, Oduro can be of greater asset to the Stars at this moment.
Unlike several of the Black Stars players who have been warming the bench in their club sides, Oduro has been consistent for his team week in week out, scoring and assisting goals as many as he can in the competitive Major league. Since 2006, the Ghanaian international has made his presence felt in the US major with his blistering show of pace.
His performance has given him the chance to feature in some MLS power house like New York Red Bulls, Toronto including Huston Dynamo, FC Dallas, Columbus Crew, Chicago Fire and his current team Montreal Impact.
With no disrespect to the current crop of Black Stars players , who have stood for the country all these years, sometimes the statistics of other players are worth consideration. It is not about who play for the best club, the Black Stars must be for those who enjoy regular football.
As we speak Jordan Ayew has been condemned to the bench of English side Aston Villa, Christian Astu struggling to make the bench for newly promoted Bournemouth.
This should give the Black Stars technical head some understanding of the need to cast their net wide and look for experienced and regular players who worth they can rely on like Dominic Oduro.
With 265 professional games for clubs, the experienced Oduro has managed astonishing 64 goals surprisingly not as a natural centre forward but a winger for that matter.
With the Canada friendly due to take place in the United States and players like Dominic Oduro who have seen it all in American football and has played in the Canadian league before with his resounding outputs in the recent years put him in the right place to test himself for the second time in the Black Players. Again the management wouldn’t spend much on ticketing since the player is based in the country.
Dominic Oduro has proven over the years that he has come of age and with no doubt or whatsoever, he is ready to let every minute offered him in the team count. It is the wellbeing of the team we seek and anything else is immaterial. Readers must not scorn us for raising this topic, it is for the good of the Stars and Ghana.
Oduro could only drive some metres away from his residence to join the Black Stars team in Cananda should he be considered for the Ghana- Canada friendly which would also reduce travelling expenses unlike the other players.
Dominic Oduro’s club performance
2005 Richmond Kickers Futures 13 games 16 goals
2006-2008 FC Dallas 70 8
2009 New York Red Bulls 3 –
2010 Huston Dynamo 34 6
2011 Chicago Fire 66 18
2012-2013 Columbus Crew 45 13
2014 Toronto FC 24 2
Montreal Impact to-date
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