Africa Sports

How Otto Addo convinced Jose Mourinho on the use of Felix Afena-Gyan

AS Roma coach Jose Mourinho was impressed with Otto Addo‘s in-depth knowledge of Felix Afena-Gyan ahead of his impressive international debut for the Black Stars.

The two coaches met on 10 March 2022 in the Netherlands before the Italian giants faced Vitesse Arnhem in the UEFA Europa Conference League round of 16 first leg.

Also in attendance was Afena-Gyan’s agent Oliver Arthur.

At the meeting, Addo, appointed interim Ghana coach for the 2022 FIFA World Cup playoff against Nigeria, told the celebrated Portuguese manager how he will deploy the 19-year-old striker.

Mourinho was fully convinced and knew his budding talent was going to be in good hands- and it turned out to be.

Afena-Gyan broke into the AS Roma first team in October last year and grabbed the headline when he netted a brace for the Giallorossi in their 2-0 success at Genoa in the Serie A.

His speed, irrepressible confidence, ability to run through channels and draw defenders to commit useless fouls are his qualities.

In addition, he has the knack of scoring goals as he proved it in the Primavera where he netted six goals in five matches this season before his promotion.

Last Friday, Afena-Gyan was named in the Black Stars starting line-up which drew 0-0 with the Super Eagles at the Baba Yara Stadium in the first leg tie and he hugely exceeded expectations.

He put on a mature performance like a seasoned senior international in a fully-packed 40,000-seater capacity stadium.

The former EurAfrica FC player lasted 80 minutes on the field and had to be replaced after picking up a minor injury.

He will be available for selection in Abuja on Tuesday, 29 March for the decider.

The winner will book a ticket for this year’s finals to be hosted by Qatar- the first-ever FIFA World Cup in the middle east.

Source: ghanasoccernet.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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