Ace Ankomah opens up on playing football with ‘wicked’ Nii Lante Vanderpuye

Renowned Ghanaian lawyer, Ace Anan Ankomah, has disclosed that the Member of Parliament for Odododiodio Constituency, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye, was a ‘wicked player’ in his youthful days.

Ace Ankomah and Nii Lante Vanderpuye, the former Sports Minister, both attended Mfantsipim where they met and played football together.

Sharing fond memories of their days in high school, Ace Ankomah described Nii Lante as a defender with a reputation for hard and cynical tackles.

“His name was awii [a Ga word for wicked]. Today, he is a politician and a former minister. Nii Lante was the number 5. When I meet him now, I don’t call him Nii Lante, I call him awii,” the lawyer said.

According to him, defenders in this day will beg to learn from Nii Lante's style of play because of how tough he was on the pitch.

“You want to pass by Nii Lante with the ball in defence, are you out of your mind? Even Virgil Van Dijk will learn from him. He is a nice guy, but on the football pitch he is wicked,” Ace Ankoma said on Citi TV.


JNA/KPE