Derek Boateng

[Guest Deep456]

On the field ths guy is out of this world. I mean his pace and power is just unimginable. Imagine a far better Henry you have him here. SIGH.

[Guest teepee]

CM = championship manager ??

 

yep - before the name change to FM

[Guest DavB93]

Never heard of the guy, must be the kind of people Big Sam mentioned when he was appointed..

[Ikon]

I may be wrong, but from what i know he hasn't exactly played much as a striker. When he came to AIK here in sweden everbody was raving on about him, He was really good for Panathinakois when they were in the CL and played against Real Madrid. But then it went down for him And he went to AIK, and he did quite well there in the end before he left, he had a tough start and got alot of stick, But after that he grew asa player,

 

And i have no idea how he's been doing lately. The last i saw from him was in the WC mostly coming on as a sub.

 

I think he MIGHT be a good squad player. But i doubt that he's good enough to be a first team regular, but as i said i dont know how he has been playing this season..

 

But if you look at how little he might cost then he's a much better backup than Pattison.

 

(i think he played for another team before AIK)

[Karjala]

can anyone clarify whether he is a Attacking Midfield (as mentioned in the article) or a Defensive Midfielder (as mentioned on nufc.com)

 

Or is he neither, like Parker?

 

Might be a good squad player, but i think we need to improve the starting 11 first.

[Cajun]

Doesn't sound the best of players but then I suppose half the current Bolton team would have been written off if they were linked with us when they were at their previous clubs!

[Guest skhwoody]

http://www.ghanaweb.biz/GHP/img/pics/43259078.jpg

 

The player in question.

 

http://itsnotpossible.typepad.com/trashfan/kool&thegang1-tm.jpg

 

I always loved Kool and the Gang - Celebration, come on lets celebrate and have a good time.....

[Nate]

This'll be the 'Random African DM', then?

[Guest vasleskins]

Here is a video of Boateng from last years World Cup, he joins his team mate Appiah when saying hello to his Brazilian friends, look at their faces after he leavs. It looks like they are thinking who the f**k was that?

 

About the player, he was the best player in the swedish league before he left i the middle of the summer to join Jerusalem. He likes to collect the ball from the defense and is best in a defensive midfield position, but i can't see him perform in the premiership, he is not good enough.

[Dokko]

On the field ths guy is out of this world. I mean his pace and power is just unimginable. Imagine a far better Henry you have him here. SIGH.

 

Is this the same as Nicky Shorey being as good as Woodgate like? 

[Dokko]

PS: I'd rather we go for Kevin Prince Boateng, he has a much better name. 

[Skirge]

We buy him and I think it will be Parker or Butt that leaves and my money is on Parker going, I do not think Big Sam subscribes all the hype over Parker..

[Ikon]

We buy him and I think it will be Parker or Butt that leaves and my money is on Parker going, I do not think Big Sam subscribes all the hype over Parker..

 

For £7-8m that is being said in the newspapers, i would gladly sell him and get the money from him added to the transferkitty and go for a better player..

[GeordieDazzler]

 

'I'm known as a player who scores important goals'

By Uzi Dann and David Maruani

 

Derek Boateng's story is the story of a talent that has missed its mark, a sportsman who was once marked, together with his Ghana teammate Michael Essien, as someone who would scale the peaks of world soccer. But wrong choices, injuries and a lack of international appearances sent him to Beitar Jerusalem, where the midfielder is blossoming, and from where he hopes he will still make it to the top leagues in Europe.

 

"God must have wanted me to come here, so I'm not sorry," says Boateng. "Things are good for me at Beitar, and I feel that I have reached a club where I always dreamed of being."

 

Boateng began his career 13 years ago with Liberty Professionals of Accra. Among his teammates was Chelsea star Michael Essien. Both players were perceived as the future leaders of the Ghana national team, but it was Boateng, who started out as a striker, who was considered the senior of the two.

 

"Everyone said that both players would go far and would be key players at big teams in Europe," says Kofi Aifung, a journalist with the Accra Mail. "Boateng, though, was considered the more mature player, certainly physically. The fact is that he was the first of the two to be bought by a European team."

 

Boateng joined Kalamata of Greece at the age of 16, but the club stopped him from joining Ghana at the 1999 Under-17 World Cup in New Zealand, denying him the chance to gain exposure, as Ghana finished third at the championship. Then again, the tournament's top scorer was Ismail Adu, who later joined Maccabi Netanya and faded away.

 

Two years later, Boateng joined another Greek club, Panathinaikos. Before that, together with Essien and future "Israelis" John Pantsil, Ibrahim Abdul Razak and Emmanuel Pappoe, he impressed at the 2001 World Youth Championship in Argentina. Ghana reached the final, where it was stopped by the host, and Boateng was named as one of FIFA's rising stars. Among the other players on FIFA's list were Javier Saviola, Kaka, Djibril Cisse and DaMarcus Beasley.

 

At Panathinaikos, Boateng was used as a playmaker, and he helped the team to reach the quarterfinals of the 2001-2 Champions League. There it was stopped by Barcelona, but not before winning the first leg and leading 1-0 in the second.

 

One person who noted down Boateng's name in his notebook was Alex Ferguson's assistant at Manchester United, now England coach Steve McClaren.

 

When McClaren was appointed manager of Middlesbrough, he demanded that his chairman bring the 19-year-old to the Riverside Stadium. The sides agreed on terms, but then it transpired that Boateng, who two months earlier had made his full Ghana debut, did not meet the quota of international matches required for a United Kingdom work permit. Boateng remained in Greece.

 

Boateng's luck continued heading south. Panathinaikos fired coach Sergio Markarian and replaced him with Fernando Santos, who loaned Boateng out to OFI Crete.

 

"He really suffered there," recalls Greek sportswriter Dimitris Leftaris. "He didn't suit the team. He suffered a quite serious injury, and altogether, he had bad luck there. If it hadn't been for the injury, he would have returned to Panathinaikos, but instead he spent the season on the bench."

 

That summer, Israeli coach Itzhak Shum took over at Panathinaikos, and decided against bringing Boateng back from loan. "Shum is an excellent coach and I respect his decision," Boateng says today.

 

Nonetheless, when he realized that he had no future at Panathinaikos, Boateng accepted an offer from AIK of Sweden. He became a key player with AIK, but the Stockholm team was relegated. The following season, Boateng led AIK back to the first division. Then came the World Cup in Germany, and Arcadi Gaydamak's big-money offer from Beitar.

 

"After the World Cup, I though I would receive offers from Europe, but it never happened," recalls Boateng. "Then came the offer from Beitar, and I felt that I had to go. The Swedish fans made it tough on me and I was scared about what I had heard and seen about Israel, but I decided I was leaving, so I left."

 

Now that he is at Beitar, Boateng is willing to accept nothing less than the championship.

 

"We can win the championship," says the Ghanaian. "We have the best players, but we must continue working hard."

 

The change of coaches at Beitar hasn't changed his opinion. Both Osvaldo Ardiles and his replacement, Yossi Mizrahi, gave him a lot of freedom.

 

"There isn't much of a difference between the coaches," Boateng says. "Both of them are good coaches. The difference is that Mizrahi understands the Israeli players, while Ardiles didn't understand them. I know what my role is, and both of them asked me to take responsibility. Because of that, I don't go forward often, and try to play short and sure passes. But I am confident I will score. I am known as a player who scores important goals."

 

Will Boateng scale the heights that he was once expected to reach? He's still a believer. "I am in the first season of a three-year contract. Beitar has invested a lot of money in me, and I want to do everything I can for the club. But after that I believe I will succeed in reaching the Spanish or English league."

[Parky]

Classic Sam spot. I'll go with his judgement on this one.

[Guest Peter.Sthlm]

can anyone clarify whether he is a Attacking Midfield (as mentioned in the article) or a Defensive Midfielder (as mentioned on nufc.com)

 

Or is he neither, like Parker?

 

Might be a good squad player, but i think we need to improve the starting 11 first.

 

In the filthy club of AIK he played in a defensiv role. He had a really bad start after their scouts spoke about him as becoming the best player in the league. Anyway in his first two seasons he was shite and they got relegated in the second season. Boateng was on his way out of the club and no one, not even himself or the club, thought he would  stay. But no club wanted him and he stayed with them and due to injuries and hard work he got a new chance at the club. He took it and AIK went on to win the second league with out any real competition for the title.

 

When they came back up again their fans were talking about him beeing the best player in the league and yada yada yada. He played well and was their best player and was later that season sold to Israel after talking about how he wanted to play in a bigger leauge in Europe. He ended up in Israel after talking about how much he loved the fans and the club. Which was ironic since they all bought it and thought that ment he would only leave for one of the biggest clubs in Holland or France.

 

Since I support the archrival to AIK I might not be objective in my judgement of him. But I can't see him becoming more then a decent back up in the Premiership.

 

His best attribute is that he is good with the ball and is a good "builder" of the play from his defensive position on the pitch. But he won't get the time he needs with the boll in the Premiership and therefor I think NUFC should go for other targets.

[Parky]

can anyone clarify whether he is a Attacking Midfield (as mentioned in the article) or a Defensive Midfielder (as mentioned on nufc.com)

 

Or is he neither, like Parker?

 

Might be a good squad player, but i think we need to improve the starting 11 first.

 

In the filthy club of AIK he played in a defensiv role. He had a really bad start after their scouts spoke about him as becoming the best player in the league. Anyway in his first to seasons he was shite and they got relegated in the second season. Boateng was on his way out of the club and no one, not even himself or the club. But no club wanted him and he stayed with them and due to injuries and hard work he got a new chance at the club. He took it and AIK went on to win the second league with out any real competition for the title.

 

When they came back up again there fans were talking about him beeing the best player in the league and yada yada yada. He played well and was a their best player and was later that season sold to Israel after talking about how he wanted to play in a bigger leauge in Europe. He ended up in Israel after talking about how much he loved the fans and the club. Which was ironic since they all bought it and thought that ment he would only leave for one of the biggest clubs in Holland or France.

 

Since I support the archrival to AIK I might not be objective in my judgement of him. But I can't see him becoming more then a decent back up in the Premiership.

 

His best attribute is that he is good with the ball and is a good "builder" of the play from his defensive position on the pitch. But he won't get the time he needs with the boll in the Premiership and therefor I think NUFC should go for other targets.

 

 

....but isn't he Essien's partner in the Ghanian mf?

[Guest Peter.Sthlm]

....but isn't he Essien's partner in the Ghanian mf?

 

That says more about Ghana than Boateng doesn't it?

[Parky]

....but isn't he Essien's partner in the Ghanian mf?

 

That says more about Ghana than Boateng doesn't it?

 

I think they're developing into quite a good side.

 

2006 WC

 

Ghana 2 usa 0

Ghana 2 Czech Republic 0

[Guest nufc 4 life]

poll please! This guy looks like he has the phsical presence to be an EPL player and for under 1m musst surely be worth a gamble, he is also only 24 so will continue to improve.

[Dave]

A poll on what?

[James]

Think I remember being impressed with him at the World Cup.

[Lagerstedt]

....but isn't he Essien's partner in the Ghanian mf?

 

That says more about Ghana than Boateng doesn't it?

 

I think they're developing into quite a good side.

 

2006 WC

 

Ghana 2 usa 0

Ghana 2 Czech Republic 0

 

He played 45 minutes in both matches, dropped against Italy and played the final 30 min against Brazil (Round of 16)...

 

He's an alright player, don't think he'll make it in the Premiership though

 

EDIT:

Date Team Opponent Competition Result Appearance G A SH SG FC FS YC RC

Mon, Jun 12 Ghana Italy World Cup L, 2 - 0 Unused Sub 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Sat, Jun 17 Ghana Czech Republic World Cup W, 0 - 2 On 45 min 0 0 1 0 3 1 1 0

Thu, Jun 22 Ghana United States World Cup W, 2 - 1 Off 45 min 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0

Tue, Jun 27 Ghana Brazil World Cup L, 3 - 0 On 60 min 0 0 1 1 2 2 0 0

World Cup Totals Starts: 1  •  Sub: 2 0 0 2 1 7 4 1 0

 

Glossary

G: Goals, A: Assists, SH: Shots, SG: Shots on goal, YC: Yellow Cards, RC: Red Cards, FC: Fouls Commited, FS: Fouls Suffered, SV: Saves, OF: Offsides

[Parky]

....but isn't he Essien's partner in the Ghanian mf?

 

That says more about Ghana than Boateng doesn't it?

 

I think they're developing into quite a good side.

 

2006 WC

 

Ghana 2 usa 0

Ghana 2 Czech Republic 0

 

He played 45 minutes in both matches, dropped against Italy and played the final 30 min against Brazil (Round of 16)...

 

He's an alright player, don't think he'll make it in the Premiership though

 

Looks like Sam rates him. Can't do any worse than backpass Parker.

[Guest nufc 4 life]

a poll to ask if people would have him for 1m is that soo much to ask