The absentees...

It has been a already long football season for the professional but tired legs of many footballers, and the preparation for the coming World Cup in South Africa has meant many teams are seriously weakened. Many players will be sorely missed by their teams as well as by the fans:

• Rio Ferdinand: the normal captain of the English favourites is out with a knee injury he got during training.
  
• Michael Ballack: an extraordinary player who will be missed, is out due to the Ghanaian Kevin Prince Boateng's vicious tackle in the FA Cup final. This seriously weakens the German team, who will also be without Simon Rolfes and Rene Adler.
• Michael Essien: Ghana's and Chelsea's midfield dynamo did not get past his long-term injury, and this seriously weakens Ghana, where also the veteran Stephen Appiah has been doubtful (but he is in South Africa).
  
• Didier Drogba, one of the best strikers in the world and a lethal weapon for the Ivory Coast, fractured his arm in a friendly match against Chile. He is in South Africa, and it seems that he may play, but it all remains highly doubtful.
  
• John Obi Mikel, yet another Chelsea player is out for Nigeria due to a knee injury.
  
• Humberto Suazo, "Chupete", Chile's leading striker, got a hamstring injury in a friendly match against Israel. He is in South Africa, but it is doubtful he will be able to play. Marcelo Bielsa, Chile's coach, is known to push his players very hard.
• Andrea Pirlo: The best Italian player of the 2006 final, and dynamo from AC Milan, suffered a calf injury during training, and will be out for Italy's first two matches, but it is hoped he will be recovered for the knock-out stages. No matter what, his absence is a serious problem for Marcelo Lippi.
• Miroslav Karhan, one of Slovakia's most experienced and veteran midfielders, is out of the tournament due to a hamstring injury.
• Carlos Costly, Honduras' best striker, is out the entire tournament after breaking the foot, and this also seriously hampers Honduras' hopes of upsetting someone in their difficult group.
  

For other teams many players have been doubtful: Simon Kjær for Denmark, Jozy Altidore for the USA, Julio Cesar for Brazil...
Smaller nations, more dependent on their stars, will probably suffer the absence of their stars more than the bigger teams, but the dynamic for each team will be changed.

In the end, the winner of the World Cup may be the team that best manages its injuries!

Top ten best players in 2009

My personal list of my 10 favourite players in 2010:
10) John Terry: Strong for Chelsea and for England.
9) Michael Essien: Scored one of the best goals of the year against Barcelona in the CL and has been one of the best players in the PL. His has besides this also been an important part of Ghana's awesome Worle Cup qualifying side.
8) Didier Drogba: The world's best forward he has been strong for Chelsea and for Cote d'Ivoire's World Cup qualifiers.
7) Juan Sebastian Veron: I have always had my doubts about him, but he has had a rennaisance in Estudiantes de la Plata's winning side, and has returned to the Argentine national team where I hope he does better than he has done before.
6) Cristiano Ronaldo: Was hugely important in Manchester United's championship side, and has started well in Real Madrid, although his contribution to the Portuguese national team has been weaker.
5) Iker Casillas: In my view the undisputeable best goalkeeper in the world. Crucial for Real Madrid and for Spanish national team.
4) Kaka: Was extraordinary for Brazil, taking on the leadership role the team needs. He has also been strong when starting for Real Madrid.
3) Xavi: same as for Iniesta. I don't know which one is more important, but I enjoy Iniesta slightly more.
2) Andres Iniesta: Him and Xavi are the heart of Barcelona's awesome side.
1) Lionel Messi: the most beautiful and exciting to watch, he seems to be able to do everything, but is also modest and recognises the importance of the team around him. A true football star.

It will be difficult for Ghana

It will likely be a victory for Brazil. I find it hard to believe that Ghana can outperform the Brazilian World Champions, although the amazing optimism of the Ghanaians is quite catchy. Ghanaians seem sure that God will be with them, and that "they will score Brazil"! This is certainly in starch contrast to the pessimism the Ghanaians displayed after their pathetic exit of the Africa's Cup in February, when they were saying that they shouldn't even send a team to Germany, and that Dujkovic should be fired…

But without Michael Essien, and being a debutant at the World Cup, Brazil is an awfully big mouthful. Ghana cannot afford to commit a single mistake - something they have been doing in every match, in spite of winning them. Furthermore, the Ghanaian is a very young team. If Brazil scores a fast goal, their natural optimism may turn into desperate inexperience, and things may go very wrong...

On the other hand, the Brazilians are bound to underestimate Ghana (although Coach Parreira has once been Ghana national coach, in the 1960's...) and a quick Ghanaian goal might start off an exciting match, just like the good fight Denmark gave Brazil in the 1998 quarterfinal.

Although a Ghanaian victory would be great, I just can't see it happening. Accra will surely go crazy if it happens! But I just hope Ghana will give the Brazilians a great fight!

African player of the year

For the third year in a row, Samuel Eto'o has been pronounced African player of the year. Although Didier Drogba and Michael Essien have had great seasons and should be considered candidates (they ended second and third respectively), I agree with the evaluation that Mr. Eto'o has by far out-shined the others. He has continued as a super-striker in the great Barcelona side, and in spite of disappointing results with Cameroun, he has nevertheless been great there as well, as we saw in the recent African Nations Cup.
Congratulations to Mr. Eto'o!

Best Player Top 10 of 2005

The year is coming to an end, and it is time to give my own personal compilation of top 10 football players of the year. Most of them are newcomers, but others were also on my 2004 list:

• 10) Didier Drogba: Chelsea has rightfully been criticized for playing overly defensive. But they still have a very powerful striking force, and the best one is Didier Drogba. This year, he has confirmed himself as one of the best strikers in the world. Furthermore, he has been part of the Ivory Coast team that qualified for their first World Cup ever.

• 9) Lionel Messi: The Argentinian youngster is certainly the newcomer of the year. He was the best player for Argentina's U-21 team that won the World Championship in the Netherlands in July. He had some problems starting in Barcelona, due to questions on his status as "extra-comunitario", but has shined since on the great Barcelona team. He will surely be a player to watch in 2006!

• 8) Juan Roman Riquelme: The former Barcelona player was a very important player in the Villarreal side that qualified for its first Champions League ever. At the time of writing, Villarreal had won their first round group in front of Benfica, Lille and mighty Manchester United, and is set to play Glasgow Rangers in the final-16 in February. Mr. Riquelme was also an important player of an Argentinian national team that had an excellent spring, becoming the first South American side to qualify for the World Cup after a marvelous 3-1 victory against Brazil, where Mr. Riquelme scored the second goal.

• 7) Michael Essien: His marvelous performance in Olympique Lyon in the spring, was rewarded with a highly anticipated change to Chelsea. In the London-team he has been an important defensive player, although his imagine has been tarnished by his recent violent tackles, particularly the one on Didi Hamann. However, it does not take away that he has had a wonderful year. He was furthermore an important player on the Ghana national team that qualified for its first World Cup ever.

• 6) Frank Lampard: Frank Lampard was also on last year's list. He has continued playing excellent on a Chelsea side that seems un-beatable. Also on the English national team, he has been one of the better-performing players on a team that had some difficulty qualifying for the World Cup.

• 5) Samuel Eto'o: Topscorer of last season's Spanish league with Barcelona, as well as the leading scorer at the end of the season, he has been another of the important player's on the great Catalan team this year. On another front, the World Cup dream faded for him and Cameroun, so he will be one of the missed great players next year in Germany.

• 4) Juninho: Has been marvelous in the strong Olympique Lyon team. They have been French champions as well as very strong in the Champions League, where a memorable 3-0 victory against Real Madrid gave them an early lead in a group they easily won. Mr. Juninho is probably the best free-kicker in the world at the moment, and in February, we will see his magic against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.

• 3) Steven Gerrard: This was a marvelous year for Steven Gerrard. He was the captain of Liverpool's amazing victory in the Champions League final. There was much talk of him changing to a "bigger" club, but he has fortunately stayed in Liverpool. He has continued playing very well into the new season, and will be an important player as Liverpool try to defend their title, as well as for the English side in the World Cup.

• 2) Adriano: The Brazilian striker in Inter Milan is surely the best striker in the world at the moment. He scores many goals in the Italian league as well as in the Champions League. For Brazil he has also become the main striker, and he is specially remembered for his marvelous strike against Argentina in the final of the 2005 Confederations Cup this summer.

• 1) Ronaldinho: The Brazilian was also top of my list in 2004. He has continued as a super-player this year, and now the titles have begun coming: with Barcelona he won the Spanish title, and with Brazil he both qualified for the World Cup and won the 2005 Confederations Cup. There is no doubt Mr. Ronaldinho will be a key player in both Barcelona and Brazil as they contend for Spanish title, Champions League and World Cup in 2006.

The list is as always difficult to complete, and is of course my own personal opinion. I would like to hear others though!

Michael Essien to Chelsea

The long speculations are over, and it has finally happened: It has today been confirmed that Michael Essien, the young Ghanaian star of Olympique Lyon, is joining Mourinho's superstars in Chelsea. The price, apparently around 26 Million British Pounds!! More than what was paid for Didier Drogba.

Michael Essien got what he wanted, and I believe Lyon did the right thing, since Mr. Essien could have potentially be a destabilizing factor, having so clearly expressed his desire to leave. But now he will have to show that he is worth all the fuzz. I have no doubt that he is a great player; but he is young, and will come under great pressure to perform well in one of the world's most competitive clubs in one of the world's most competitive leagues.

Football decoration at my work place

I work in a nice big office in a nice neighborhood of Accra, Ghana. Until recently, the decoration of the premises left much to be said.

Not any more!

Seems a major football fanatic just passed by (and I honestly swear that I didn't do it): In the halls, pictures of Ghanaian footballers have been hung up. These include pictures of Abedi Pele, Anthony Yeboah, Samuel Kuffour, Michael Essien, etc. All to remind us of the great football talent emanating from this beautiful West African country.

At the same time, in the meeting room, a human-size pap-mache statue is sitting with a football. Isn't this great...?

Does my work have anything to do with football? Not at all. But at least I get reminded of fotoball every day now...

Michael Essien, Chelsea and Lyon

Michael Essien had a great season with Olympique Lyon. This put the young Ghanaian in the forefront of rumours for bigger clubs. Notably Chelsea has been connected to Mr. Essien. But so far, Olympique Lyon has rejected the offers for the young player. Apparently, the French side wants around 30 Million Euros, well above the offer of 17 Million coming from Chelsea. Is Mr. Essien worth such an amount? It is hard to say, but either Lyon wants to make a lot of money, or they have a great desire to keep Mr. Essien in the team for another successful season. And here, the role of Mr. Essien himself has been rather strange: He has clearly expressed his desire to leave Lyon for Chelsea, even stating that he hopes Chelsea will accept to pay the high amount asked by Lyon.
Is this wise? If he is not sold, his position in the Lyon team next season may be in jeopardy. He would not be motivated to play, while Lyon could surely not have a player not dedicated 100 pct. to the team. If he is sold to Chelsea for the said amount, he would be under enormous pressure to perform well in a club already swamped with super-stars.
While his desire for greater glory in bigger clubs is understandable, he should stay quiet and play his best wherever he is.

Ghana World Cup bound?

Ghana has for many years been one of the leading African football nations. However, world cup glory has so far escaped the "Black Stars". I am becoming happier, that I will be in Ghana next year, when they might make their first appearance in the World Cup. Yesterday, the Black Stars took a huge leap towards making this dream come true for me (as well as for 20 million Ghanaians): In a crucial qualifier in Johannesburg, Ghana defeated South Africa 2-0, with goals by Matthew Amoah from Vitesse Arnhem and Michael Essien from Olympique Lyon.
Ghana is now leading Group 2 in the African World Cup qualifiers. They have two games left, against Congo and Cape Verde. I do hope to be celebrating with the rest of Ghana very soon!

DR Congo-Ghana

In the African World Cup Qualifiers Group 2, Ghana had an all-important away game against the DR Congo. Although without two of the main "black stars", Lyon's Michael Essien and Bayern Munich's Samuel Kuffour, Ghana played a good game. It was an intense game, with many hard but fair fights, and some good tactical display, in an extremely high pace. Both teams players were extremely tired in the end!
The game ended 1-1, which is probably a better result for Ghana. They are currently third, with 8 points, behind South Africa (12) and Cape Verde (10). However, next they will have two crucial home games against Burkina Faso and Uganda, which must be won, before heading for a great encounter against Bafana Bafana.
Ghana has never made it to the World Cup. They certainly have the players to make it this time. I hope they will, and I will be here in Ghana to support them!
And just an anecdote from the game: At half time, on Ghanaian TV3, the commentator said: "And now pray for our players to win, so this will be our resurrection day gift!"
That is football-fanaticism!