By: David Kyei

Date: 21-10-11

Young and enterprising offensive midfielder Michael Anaba, played his first full game for Kotoko last Sunday and he attributes everything that he was able to achieve on that day and what we would be achieving in subsequent matches to the splendid rapport and camaraderie that exists in the team.

According to the young player who is having his first taste of premiership football this season, he joined Kotoko with so much hope and he is happy to report that his hopes and aspiration are being met.

“I believe things are even moving faster than I had anticipated and this is so because the senior players have taken the responsibility to nurture us the upcoming ones”.

“We operate and do everything here in Kotoko as a unit and so our mentality and everything here is about the team and nothing else. Since we make sure that the team spirit is alive, our individual needs are taken care of naturally”.

On his splendid performance last Sunday, Anaba who was also adjudged the man of the match by the technical team for the able manner he handled the role he was assigned, is full of praise to God for his grace on his life and the energy he had for that challenging role.

“The role was challenging because it required a lot of energy but in all that, God granted me the strength to do my best.”

“Having said that, I also thank my coach and his assistants for the encouragement they gave me. They really lightened the task by giving me so much confidence for the match”.

“My colleagues also ensured that we covered each other well so at the end of it all, Anaba may have played well and scored a goal, but I must say it was a victory for everyone in the team as we all played our roles well”.

According to the player he has not taken his announcement as best player for the match against AshGold as a personal achievement because, “in Kotoko, the team comes first before self”.

“I wonder how I would have played the way I did if my colleagues had not done their part by giving the supplies and also ensure that the back was safe. The team did well and I am proud to be a Kotoko player”.

He scored his goal at the time when Kotoko was cruising home with a 2-0 lead, but the third goal sent the fans in the stance shouting on top of their voices to celebrate. Anaba also did a sprint to the Kotoko bench to give coach Maxwell Konadu a big hug.

“Yes I went to hug my coach because he virtually scored the goal. A few minutes before I scored, he called me to the touchline and told me to be on the look out for supplies from the flanks as he was going to bring on two fast wingers to outrun our opponents”.

“Indeed Michael Mensah came and delivered as I had been told. My running to hug the coach was to give him the laudation for good job done. I must admit that my joy was not because I had scored but because Kotoko had won and it was a victory for the team”.

As the team rounds up preparation for Sunday’s match against Bechem United, it remains to be seen if Michael will make the team for the match. However, his concern is not too much about him playing but something else.

“From the orientations we’ve had so far, I have been tuned to the team frequency and so the most important thing is for Kotoko to win. If I get the chance to play, be on the bench or watch from the stands, my only concern will be for Kotoko to win”.

“If I watch the match from the stands, I will be the 12^th player with my support from the stands. The spirit is a winning mentality for every member of the Kotoko family and so I encourage everyone to get on board and support the team,” he concluded.