Ghana is known as the Brazilians of African football. Just like football powerhouse, Ghana is a nation blessed with enormous football talents- some are able to play to the upper echelon as far as football is concerned; others also fall off along the way unable to realise their dream of etching their names in football folklore.
Ghana has been a happy hunting ground for scouts world over. The likes of Abedi Pele, Tony Yeboah, Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari, Stephen Appiah, Asamoah Gyan just to mention but a few were discovered while playing on grassless pitches in the country but were able to make indelible imprints and will forever be remembered for their exploits.
The Ghanaian football community continues to provide a steady source of talent for relatively reasonable fees; it’s simply a question of choosing the right player.
As the motherlode of talents, hardly a year passes by without a new star emerging from the West African nation. Among the new wave of talents emerging from the country is Israel Amewu. He has quickly established himself as one of Ghana’s hottest prospects, courtesy of some encouraging laced performances for Tema City FC, a third-tier club in Ghana’s capital.
He loves to play as a winger and occasionally as an attacking midfielder where he prods, pokes and pinge passes over and through opposition lines with vision and also dribbles excellently.
The skilful but slight Amewu has proven a point with his stand-out performances for his club. The sinewy winger is electric. He zips around the pitch, giving defenders no respite, as he bites into tackles and fearlessly runs at them, trying to work an angle for a shot or a cross. It’s his ability to turn sharply out of trouble, burst into space and link with team-mates that make him such a potent weapon.
The son of a lawmaker and a minister of state, Israel Amewu was born in Accra some eighteen years ago.
Amewu’s football journey began like most of the African footballers. On the sandy pitches and usually barefooted, he and his compatriots turned out for various youth football clubs. They just enjoyed playing the game and were content with tips or being carried on shoulders as a reward for standout performance. That was about all the game had for them.
Fierce shooting with his left foot, a constant threat in the air and a finely tuned predatory instinct in the box combine to make Amewu a complete winger. Possessing an appreciable height and brave, Amewu can hold his own alongside the toughest of defenders, but rather than his physique, his guile and intelligent positioning enable him to outwit defenders. His uncanny knack of being in the right place at the right time means he regularly finds scoring opportunities.
Amewu operates mainly from the right wing but cuts inside onto his favoured left foot, and his obvious self-belief gives him an edge on the pitch. Equally comfortable going for goal with either foot or with his head, and never afraid to miss, it is no surprise to see him become a mainstay at his club. With skilful feet and a sharp football brain, he has excellent link-up play and can spot a pass. A willing grafter, he’s also not averse to working the flanks and has decent crossing ability. He loves to contribute to the build-up around the penalty area rather than wait for the ball.
At just 18, Amewu has already drawn comparisons with Argentina legend, Angel Di Maria. There is indeed a spark of Di Maria in the way he moves the ball and what he can do with the ball but label like the “new Di Maria” are wide off the mark. He had a tremendous season last term.
He scored 7 goals, registered 5 assists in 19 games for Tema City. Playing on the right flank, he was able to showcase his precise dribbling, his dynamite left foot and his ability to pull off the sublime. There were chips, rabonas, solo strikes and long-range curlers.
Though highly talented, he is still a raw product that needs polishing in many aspects, but if he sticks with his current work ethic, there is no doubt that he can become a top-class player who will dazzle fans for many years to come. “The only thing that interests me at the moment is learning as much as possible from my coaches and senior colleagues. I must improve technically and tactically to meet the exigencies of the modern game.” He told kickgh.com
His temperament is outstanding and plays with maturity that belies his tender years. Improving all the time, with the right technical guidance and tutelage, it would be a travesty beyond compare if Israel Amewu does not take the world by storm with his immense talent.
