Soccer News of Tuesday, 4 September 2012

Source: Prince Dornu-Leiku / 90 MINUTES

Inkoom is ahead of Opare – Opeele

Black Starlets assistant coach Isaac ‘Opeele’ Boateng has waded into the debate, albeit controversially, over which of young internationals Daniel Opare or Samuel Inkoom deserve to take up the right back spot for the Black Stars.

Both players were named in Coach Kwesi Appiah’s 24 man national team squad for the double header against Malawi and Liberia. But to Opeele, the Black Stars helmsman should have no headaches at all choosing between the duo. The former Asante Kotoko coach has told 90 MINUTES Dnipro defender Inkoom is streets ahead of Standard Liege of Belgium defender Opare.

“Paintsil is out and I think the right player to replace him is Inkoom. To me, comparing Inkoom and Opare is a non-starter. Inkoom is a more valuable player because he can play natural 2, 3, 7 or 11. He is versatile and ambidextrous, and that is the word used to describe Arsenal’s new player Santi Carzola,” Opeele said in a chat with 90 MINUTES.

He continued: “Inkoom is far ahead of Opare, he has U-20 World Cup and senior World Cup experience. Opare has been on the fringes of verandahs of European football but Inkoom has played in European competitions. “Opare did not play at Real Madrid, he was with their second team before he moved to Belgium but Inkoom has played at the top level all of his career. He has played Kotoko and came to the Black Stars through Kotoko.”