By: Bernard Nyankomago Yeboah

Date: 04-05-11

Prolific striker, Nathaniel Asamoah, says he is aiming high to clinch the prestigious Goal King crown apart from helping Asante Kotoko to finish at an appreciable position at the end of the Glo Premier League season.

 “I will be very happy if I emerge as the top scorer at the end of the season. However, my focus at the moment is on Kotoko. I want to contribute my quota to make us win the remaining four games and finish the league in grand style”.

This was the words of the former Wa All Stars goal poacher when speaking to the Kotoko Express after the pulsating 2-2 draw with Heart of Lions at the Kpando Park on Tuesday.

Nathaniel Asamoah is one of the players Kotoko registered to beef up the team after the first round. His performance and contribution to the team so far has been excellent, scoring seven goals in addition to the previous six he scored during his stint with All Stars in the first round.

It is no wonder pundits and supporters of Asante Kotoko have tipped him as favourite for the 2010/11 GFA/PLB Goal King title.

However, he has big competition from Chelsea’s Emmanuel Clottey who has also hit the back of the net 10 times this season. 

Asked whether he feels being under pressure or sees the 2006 top scorer of the domestic league as a threat to his ambition, Nathaniel said “I’m not focusing on my competitors. I am only concentrating on my training to keep good form all the time and help Kotoko to become the best.”

“I know if it is in the plans of God that I will be crowned as the Goal King nobody can deny me the opportunity”.

Commenting on the Lions-Kotoko encounter, Nathaniel Asamoah expressed happiness for scoring his second brace for Kotoko in the season though he was not enthused about the way Referee Yakubu Liman and his two Assistants, Joseph Sey and Abdul Suleman handled the game.

“I am very happy for scoring today, but honestly, I was not enthused about the officiating of referee Yakubu Liman and his Assistants during this particular game”

“I didn’t see the reason why they cancelled the Monday game when it was glaring that we could have continued after the rain had stopped. If you look at today’s game too there were so many strange decisions that they took against us”

“He did not give us any protection on the field. He allowed many cynical tackles on us. Aside that, the equalizer by Heart of Lions to me was dubious because it was clear that the ball touched the hand of the Lions player before entering the net” he noted.

This not withstanding, he commended the Kotoko supporters for their unflinching support behind the team at Kpando.

“I think our supporters deserve credit. Despite the resources and time that they spent on Monday, they sacrificed and came again today to support us. I commend and urge them to keep it up in the remaining games,” he indicated.     

The hard working striker further entreated the fans to have absolute confidence in both the technical and playing staff that no matter the stiff opposition they face in their remaining four games against Ashgold, Mighty Jets, Liberty Professionals and Kessben FC, Kotoko will surely secure the second position at the end of the league.

Assessing the chances of his side in the MTN FA Cup where Kotoko is billed to play Kpando Heart of Lions at the quarterfinal stage in Kumasi, Nathaniel Asamoah assured that they would do everything possible within their means to eliminate their opponent and go ahead to win the trophy as a consolation for their teeming supporters.

It is worth mentioning that Nathaniel Asamoah was part of the Black Stars squad that defeated Congo Brazzaville 3-0 in the CAN 2012 qualifier and also played 1-1 with England in an international friendly at Wembley.

He was also part of Coach Kwasi Appiah’s home based Black Stars side that drew 1-1 with Sierra Leone in the Independence Anniversary match last Saturday in Freetown. At the moment, he has also been invited to the camp of the Black Meteors team for the WAFU Tournament in Nigeria.

Striker Nat Asamoah considers the national call-ups as a big honour to him and has promised to work hard to deliver the goods all the time for his motherland.