After several months of worrying over the Black Stars’ goalkeeping department ahead of the 2014 World Cup, there seems to be some light at last in Stephen Adams.
But has the Aduana Stars shot-stopper really got what we need for Brazil in June? This remains the biggest question but undoubtedly his performance in Ghana’s last two games at the ongoing 2014 CHAN tournament in South Africa has put him in strong contention for a seat in the flight.
Just two weeks ago, there was almost no consideration about putting a home-based keeper on the plane to Brazil. Perhaps the only local name that came to mind was a certain Adade Foli who has now been reduced to bench warmer in South Africa.
Indeed just hours after Stephen Adams showed Africa some greatness to help Ghana reach the semis in the win over DR Congo, Abukari Damba – a former Ghana national team goalkeeper suggested Adams doesn’t appear matured to him and won’t select him for the World Cup if he had the chance.
But the former Hearts of Oak goalkeepers trainer should be revising his notes after yesterday’s game against Nigeria. If he was thinking about sending Dauda, Kwarasey, Agyei and maybe Richard Kingson in a provisional list for the tournament, then he should be ready to wedge the axe and make necessary alterations to include Adams.
But of course he is not in any position to influence Kwesi Appiah so we can safely brush his comments aside.
Having Germany, Portugal and the USA in the same group alone at the World Cup is another trouble. It brings a problem of selecting the right materials for the tournament.
Coach Kwesi Appiah might have already made up his mind to send Fatau Dauda and Kwarasey to Brazil but he can also take a second look at Stephen Adams before he picks Daniel Agyei ahead of him.
Agyei, who currently plies his trade with South African side Free State Stars, is nursing an injury and is unknown whether he can return in time to compete for a place. And, that leaves the options between Kingson who recently moved to Turkey and Adams. For experience, Kingson wins it. But for current form and performance, Adams has convinced us all.
Even when he appeared to have outstretched his right leg and suffered a groin injury during the game, the 26-year-old still stayed out and pulled an unbelievable stop in the 120th minute – a ball that was heading to poison Ghana. But he’s got experience too. The former Hearts of Oak-target has been around for long. He was a candidate for a place in the Ghana squad for the 2010 World Cup but he lost out to Stephen Ahorlu and has fought on since.
Adams shows us how unrelenting he has been all these years. Four years on. At least he deserved to have been at the 2010 event.
Kwesi Appiah should have no problems handing down a call to the keeper in our next international assignment and perhaps put him in the post against the Netherlands in that friendly. That syndrome which limits new invitees onto the bench at least must be cured.
Now that our hopes in Dauda is almost evaporated due to his inactivity at Orlando Pirates and Kwarasey doesn’t seem to appear anymore, we can gather the vim and vigor and throw Adams into the post and tell him to perform.
Once he did it against Nigeria in a great game, he has the potentials to excel in any big game including the World Cup.
By:
Frank Darkwah
Follow
Frank Darkwah on twitter.@Blaqqkoffi
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