Honourees who have won the Player of the Season award since the premier league inception in the 90s compile an incomparable list- boasting Kweku Essien, Ahmed Toure, Daniel Nii Adjei, Augustine Okrah, Latif Blessing, Mahatma Otoo, Ibrahim Salifu and many others- but only a handful have won the prize who are not recognised as attack-minded footballers.
This season there are worthy contenders from all areas of the pitch. Goals are why people attend games. Spectators love viewing magicians on the ball, slick movements and wonderful goals- it explains the breadth of attackers who have won the Player of the Season award- but often times these jubilant moments cannot transpire without balance.
Asante Kotoko SC possesses a fantastic team balance, and they won the league with a hint of comfort. The Porcupine Warriors are talent-laden, but Ibrahim Imoro is the fulcrum. The Kotoko left-back ended the season with 9 assists- the most in the division and also recorded a goal. Imoro was the glue for Ogum’s Kotoko.
For Mbella to score, Lamptey to torment, Kotoko needed balance; without Imoro consistently marauding in both the defence and attacking ends of the pitch, Ogum’s outfit would have been a headless chicken.
Imoro is a complete full-back but his defining quality is undoubtedly his remarkable stamina. He was the driving force behind Kotoko’s title triumph, covering every blade of grass with the same tireless dedication he became known for at Karela. His extraordinary energy allowed him to make more recoveries and also attack when need be with effortless ease. While the other players mentioned around as deserving of this award endured below-par performances or periods of poor form, Imoro was remarkably consistent.
Imoro always puts everything on the line, every minute of every match, no questions asked. Even after years of consistent excellence, there is a feeling that Imoro is a little underappreciated in the league. Defenders are never going to be as glamorous as attackers or even most midfielders, yet even when talk is limited to those who play at the back, the 22-year-old is often overlooked.
He is not the fasted runner or the most cultured passer of the ball, but it is his determination that makes him a great defender, which he displayed countless times this season.
He still shows the same passion the Kotoko faithful once saw when he first arrived in 2018. Imoro lays for Kotoko. Really plays for them; he is not just in the side, he does not just play, he makes them play. It is not just that he is a good player, which he is, but he makes other players good. He is the ideologue behind Ghana’s best team of the season.
If Kotoko are the league’s preeminent club, then it stands to reason their principal cog deserves recognition as the league’s best footballer for the 2021/22 season.
By: Godfred Budu
