Soccer News of Thursday, 22 June 2006
Source: --
Penpix of Ghana's World Cup squad
GOALKEEPERS
1-Sammy Adjei
CLUB: Moadan Sport Ashdod, IsraelDOB: 01.09.1980.
Caps/Goals: 31/0
First-choice goalkeeper who spent most of his career with Accra Hearts of oak but moved to Israel in 2004. Made his debut in a World Cup qualifier against Sudan in 2001. An excellent shot-stopper who has played his club football in three different countries, he can occasionally lose concentration. Adjei appeared in ten of Ghana?s qualifying matches for the 2006 FIFA World Cup?.
22-Richard Kingston
DOB: 13.6.1978.
Caps/Goals: 35/0
Brought back into the squad after last playing at the start of Ghana's group matches in the World Cup qualifying competition two years ago. Plays in Turkey under the name Farouk Gursoy, given to him when he took out Turkish nationality while on the books of Galatasaray.
16-George Owu
DOB: 7.7.1982.
Caps/Goals: 6/0
Back-up keeper for the national team whose debut for Ghana's side coincided with the start of the long road to the finals in Germany. Plays for the club formerly known as Obuasi Goldfields.
DEFENDERS
23-Gabriel Issah Ahmed
DOB: 24.5.1982
Caps/Goals: 10/0
Appeared in the last four qualifiers for Ghana. Captain of Asante Kotoko, who won the Ghana premier league in 2005, and chosen MVP of the league, before moving to Denmark in February.
7-Shilla Illiasu
DOB: 20.6.1983
Caps/Goals: 4/0
Helped his club into the last eight of this year's African Champions League, having joined at the start of the year from cross-town rivals King Faisal Babes where he had been club captain. Got his first cap for Ghana in the friendly against Jamaica and played his first full game for Ghana against South Korea. Played his firs competitive match for Ghana at the world cup against Czech
5-John Mensah
DOB: 26.11.1982
Caps/Goals: 35/0
Plays at left back or in central defence and moved to Italy after playing in the side that finished runners-up at the 2001 World Youth Championships in Argentina. Loaned in January to French Ligue 1 club Rennes where he has been in splendid form over the last months.
4-Samuel Osei Kuffour
DOB: 3.9.1976
Caps/Goals: 59/3
Bundesliga winner with Bayern Munich where his non-nonsense tackling and sometime tearful displays of passion made him a fan favourite. Back in the Ghana side after a series of disciplinary problems with coaches over the years, including being sent home from the 2002 Nations Cup finals in Mali.
13-Habib Mohamed
DOB: 10.12.1983
Caps/Goals: 2/0
Played his first match for the national team against jamaica on May 29. Surprise selection from the Kumasi-based club, whose inclusion goes some way to deflecting criticism on coach Dujkovic for not picking enough of the Ghana-based players for the squad. Plays at right back where he is likely to be back-up at the World Cup finals. Played his first competitive game for Ghana at the world cup in Germany against Czechs.
6-Emmanuel Pappoe
DOB: 3.3.1981
Caps/Goals: 28/0
Another player capped as a teenager only to go into the wilderness for years before being restored to the side in 2002. Played a regular role in the qualifying campaign. He was the captain of the Ghana team which reached the final of the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship, and was also a member of the Ghana Olympic team in 2004.
15-John Paintsil
DOB 15.6.1981
Caps/Goals: 23/0
Normally plays at right back but his versatility makes him a strong squad member, having also featured in central defence and at left back for his country. Played briefly in Poland at Widzew Lodz before moving to Israel.
17-Dan Quaye
DOB 25.12.1980
Caps/Goals: 7/0
Brought back into the squad as one of four locally-based players. Won the African Champions League with his club in 2000 and featured in three World Cup qualifiers in 2004.
2-Hans Sarpei
DOB: 28.6.1976
Caps/Goals: 7/0
Born in Ghana but grew up in Germany. Experienced defensive midfielder Sarpei has spent his entire career in Germany, playing for six clubs, including his current employer VfL Wolfsburg, where he has been since 2001. Played once for the Black Stars in 2000 before being recalled last year by coach Dujkovic.
MIDFIELDERS
18-Eric Addo
DOB: 12.11.1978.
Caps/Goals: 8/0
Made his first international appearance eight years ago at the African Nations Cup finals as a teenage prodigy from Belgium's Club Brugge. Moved to the Netherlands in 1999 but his career at PSV had been a long litany of injury and missed chances until he burst back into the limelight earlier this year. He has been a regular in all trial matches for Ghana
20-Otto Addo
DOB: 9.6.1975
Caps/Goals: 13/1
Played for Ghana for the first time in four years in the friendly against Mexico in March. Injury-prone midfielder who has spent most of his life in Germany and played at several Bundesliga clubs.
10-Stephen Appiah
DOB: 24.12.1980
Caps/Goals: 44/11
Inspirational captain whose performances were the catalyst behind Ghana's success in the World Cup qualifiers. Moved to Udinese at the age of 16 and in July signed for Turkey's Fenerbahce after two seasons at Juventus. Fenerbahce paid $8 million for the gifted playmaker and he has settled in well in Turkey. His boundless energy will serve Ghana well in the World Cup finals, with Appiah able to operate in the centre of midfield, or on the right flank.
9-Derek Boateng
DOB: 2.5.1983
Caps/Goals: 12/3
Teenage prodigy whose career is back on track in Sweden after going off the rails after a spell at Panathinaikos in Greece. Played for Ghana at the 2002 African Nations Cup finals in Mali after scoring on his debut just one month before.
23-Haminu Dramani
DOB: 1.4.1986
Caps/Goals: 7/0
Arguably, the most controversial inclusion in the Ghana WC squad. The 20-year-old played at Hearts of Lions last season before being recommended to the national team coach Dujkovic's former club Crvena Zvezda by Dujkovic. Expansive left-sided footballer with plenty of pace, he made dream debut in Serbia and Montenegro last September, scoring just a minute after coming on as an 88th-minute substitute. However, he has since been restricted to fleeting appearances for the former European champions.
8-Michael Essien
DOB: 3.12.1982
Caps/Goals: 19/4
Africa's most expensive footballer after his move to the English champions in August. Named as the best player in France last season after helping Olympique Lyonnaise to the French Ligue 1 title.
11-Sulley Ali Muntari
DOB: 27.8.1984.
Caps/Goals: 18/6
Mercurial midfield talent who has already served one suspension from the national team for disciplinary problems. Had a trial as a teenager at Manchester United but signed at Udinese after the 2001 World Youth Championships. He is another graduate of the team that finished runners-up at the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship. There, he started every match in defence but now plays as a combative midfielder.
FORWARDS
14-Matthew Amoah
DOB: 24.10.1980
Caps/Goals: 18/7
Restored to the team at the start of 2004 and scored vital goals as Ghana secured World Cup qualification. Debuted at the 2002 Nations Cup finals in Mali but was ignored for more than two years afterwards by a succession of Black Stars' coaches.
3-Asamoah Gyan
DOB: 22.11.1985.
Caps/Goals: 15/9
He scored five goals for Ghana last year and could be the young sensation of this year's World Cup despite missing the Nations Cup finals in January through injury. Aggressive striker who is on loan at Modena from Serie A club Udinese. Scored Ghana's first world cup goal
19-Razak Pimpong
DOB: 30.12.1982
Caps/Goals: 6/0
Played just once for the national team in 2002 but was the star of Ghana's Olympic side that qualified for the 2004 Athens Games. Recently moved to Copenhagen after five-and-a-half seasons at FC Midtjylland. Another graduate of the U-20 team who finished runners-up at the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship, Pimpong played for the Olympic team at Athens 2004
12-Alex Tachie-Mensah
DOB: 15.2.1977
Caps/Goals: 7/0
Named as a stand-by player for the 2006 African Nations Cup finals squad, having played previously for Ghana at the 2002 African Nations Cup finals in Mali. Moved to Switzerland in 2000 where his first club was Neuchatel Xamax.
