It is not uneasy for writers to be rendered bereft of superlatives and other apt descriptions to paint a vivid picturesque image of the budding left-back. Ya’qoub Suleiman’s blistering performances for his club, Tema City due to his tactical mindedness and endurance helps in pulling such hurdles.
The left-back position is one of the most specialist yet under-appreciated positions in football. From Paolo Maldini, Roberto Carlos, Ashley Cole to Marcelo, the position has been home to some of the most dynamic and technically gifted players the sport has ever seen, and that’s a trend that has continued to this day.
The way full-backs are viewed has changed immensely in the past few years. They’re now judged just as much on their attacking capabilities as their defensive skills, so having that 17-year-old dynamo, capable of exploding forward from deep or picking out the striker with a menacing early cross, can be the difference at the highest level.
Everyone who has watched Tema City Football club over the past two years has a favourite Ya’qoub Suleiman moment, a real testament to the diverse- and frankly absurd- range of talents possessed by a footballer who is at the very top of his game. We all love football for its unpredictability and there is no teenage left-back in Ghana who can mix it up like the leading light of Tema City Football club. We hear so much about Suleiman’s ability to explode past an opposing defender or make up yards in the blink of an eye, but quick players so often make one trick ponies. This particular Ghanaian teenager is anything but.
Born in Tamale, his talent was visible in his formative years as he was always seen playing keepy-uppy to and from school. Many who saw him those periods never doubted his ability but prayed he would play to the highest level one day. Suleiman underpins his undeniable natural attributes with a refined touch, a killer instinct and a sublime footballing brain.
A complete, multi-dimensional player in a position where pace and physicality are king, he stands out like a sore thumb for all the right reasons.
A gifted technician, he’s comfortable in possession anywhere on the left flank and has provided some mouth-watering crosses and through-balls for team-mates when allowed to get forward. His balance alone is enough the better of most Ghanaian Premier League defenders, but there is a bullish strength about the way he carries the ball which makes him a candidate for bigger and better things.
He defends with entitlement and looks at home wherever he receives the ball. He doesn’t rely on speed and strength alone to get in behind. His footwork in possession is first class, and his armoury of shimmies, feints and tricks is reinforced by a gift for sublime close control. While in possession, he beholds the instincts of a top-level winger. Suleiman is an example of a modern full-back.
Suleiman registered 11 assists in 17 appearances for the Tema side last term- a testament to his remarkable footballing intelligence and technical brilliance.
Suleiman truly is a generational talent and is swiftly becoming one of the country’s leading full-backs. His heroics on the field and maturity off it mean it won’t be long until he’s recognised as a sporting icon in his homeland. Ya’qoub Suleiman is a superstar in the making.
