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Sports News of Monday, 10 February 2020

Source: muftymufty.wordpress.com

Anim Cudjoe: Let’s hasten slowly in our hype or we forever bury him in a football grave

Kotoko youngster Matthew Anim Cudjoe Kotoko youngster Matthew Anim Cudjoe

There is a simple saying that “too much of everything is bad” and that must not be taken for granted as too much indulgence in everything has crumbled prospective and well established personalities.

Publicity, hype and all are in themselves not bad when done on a “mature” product.

However, when an “immature” product that lucks grit and fortitude gets an undeserved “publicity”, it will sink naturally in no time.

These are in relation to Ghana’s “latest kid” on the block, Matthew Anim Cudjoe.

The 16-year-old attacking midfielder’s rise began when he was scouted at the 2018 Baby Jet Invitational Tournament at Accra Academy.

He emerged top scorer and was adjudged the best player which quickly shot him to fame when Kotoko snapped him up on loan from second tier side, Young Apostles.

The fast,skillful and intelligent dribbler has since received rave reviews from the media which is is in good taste.

He had been linked to invitations for trials from several clubs including La Liga giants,Barcelona and German club Bayern Munich where he finally landed.

The problem is not the hype surrounding Matthew but it is worth noting that the player is not new to Ghana football.

He was in Yaw Preko’s 18-man squad for the August 2018 Africa Games in Morocco.

He was in that squad with names like on loan Berekum Chelsea goalkeeper,Danlad Ibrahim, Emmanuel Toku, Najeeb Yakubu, Awudu Tahiru just to mention a few notable team mates then.

If he is 16-years now then he should be 14 in 2018 meaning he could not have broken into bigger clubs at that time.

Fare enough but the question is at 16-years now with just countable matches for Asante Kotoko before he left for Bayern Munich, has he got the mental toughness to deal with the incessant hype and pressure that comes with the fame?

We have seen countless youngsters and even mature players in the past years failing to live up to the hype and their end has not been pleasant at all.

Limiting ourselves to players in the past few years, names like Ishmael Addo,Dominic Adiyiah, Ransford Osei,Sadick Adams,Daniel Opare, Kofi Abanga,Kennedy Ashia, Asiedu Attobrah and lately former Hearts Hearts of Oak wiz kid,Torric Jibrin all could not reach the desired height despite catching the world’s eye with their skills.

Crossing carpet to other parts of the world, we could have names like Freddie Edu, Javier Saviola, Ariel Ortega,Borjan Krki? just to mention a few who failed to glitter en route to climbing the career ladder.

For Matthew Anim Cudjoe, the trial at Bayern Munich is a huge plays to his CV but in the unlikely event that he is not able to make the grade, how well is he going to be managed as the media is following his steps and will come at him if Bayern Munich does not recall him after returning home from the trials? It very good to hype and publicize a player but it is equally good to allow the talent sell itself the more.

Let’s hasten slowly in our quest to sell Matthew Anim Cudjoe or we could send him to his football grave earlier than expected.