Talk to any of the fans of Kumasi Asante Kotoko, who each day cling on the Paa Joe park, or visit the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on match days to watch their idols, and they will tell you Yussif Mohammed Nurudeen is not an ordinary player.
With the departure of Mubarak Yussif, Andrews Appau and Maxwell Agyemang, the Porcupine Warriors were faced with a tough task of strengthening the defensive department of the team. With a tight budget to work with and with an avalanche of players to choose from, the Kumasi club settled on a deal for the Real Tamale United (RTU) centre-back.
Arriving at a big club with a hefty price tag instantly puts a player under the microscope. Every pass is analysed, every shot discussed and every action dissected. It was going to be no different for Yussif Mohammed Nurudeen . Without a moment’s hesitation the combative Nurudeen became Asante Kotoko’s best signing in recent times.
He’s been enormous since his arrival with his fighting spirit, energy and ferocity in the heart of Kotoko's defence embodying his manager’s philosophy brilliantly. As ever, the combative defender is always seen setting the tone beautifully for his side, flying into tackles, pressing relentlessly and tracking back doggedly, as his physicality unsettled the opponents.
Contrary to popular belief and perception, he is actually a very intelligent footballer, which he demonstrates emphatically with his astute positioning and covering of his teammates. Moreover, in Kotoko’s attacks, Nurudeen uses his superb vision and concentration to pick up darting movements of George Mfegues, Kalo Ouattara, Peter Amidu Acquah, Bernard Somuah and Baba Yahaya whenever they venture into his designated area of operation. He never allows his opponents an easy passage to meander into the space surrounding him, and wreak havoc.
However, when they did obtain possession in close proximity to him, he pounces like a hungry lion to bring the pressure. Kotoko’s lateral defenders must also be thankful to Nurudeen, for he regularly shuttles over to cover for them when they motor forward ensuring they wouldn’t be caught off-guard. He efficiently mixes his unquenchable appetite to work for his teammates with his ability to find space around the opponent’s attackers.
He's excellent positionally and phenomenally quick, which is fun to see when he plays an offside trap before chasing down a striker anyway, like a predator toying with prey. Nurudeen is good on the ball, able to cover plenty of ground and there's a strong case that he's been the single most important player to Prosper Ogum developing Kotoko into what they are lately.
He is rarely flustered under pressure. He has a languid unhurried style and is always willing and able to wait for extra seconds to find the right pass. His dedication and willingness to fight for his side have meant he has become an invaluable asset of Ogum's new look Kotoko side.
Nurudeen is everything that his manager stereotypically loves in a centre-back, cool in possession and able to break lines at will- yet offers the kind of leadership and tenacity that go hand-in-hand with serial success.
Simply put, Asante Kotoko is a better team whenever Yussif Mohammed Nurudeen is in the lineup. In him, the Porcupine Warriors have a player they can build around, a player already at the level they crave to return to. He remains the club’s most influential and consistent star. He isn’t one for the future, he’s thriving already.
He's in the best in.tue country right now, in our opinion.
By: Godfred Budu Yeboah
