Sportscrusader.com Lower Leagues Team Of The Week

The Sports Crusader Lower Leagues Team of the Week is an initiative introduced by the fastest growing sports web portal in Ghana to demonstrate how Ghanaian players perform for their various clubs abroad.

To set the records straight, as we have always done, players are selected based on the following criteria:

1.The Coefficient of the league they play

2. The competition they are in (If they are not playing league matches)

3. Consistency.

4. The competition they face from other players playing for the same position.

5. The positions they play

6. The number of minutes played in the game, and

7. The contribution of the player to the success of the game.

David Atanga took his season’s tally to10 goals in 24 league appearances over the weekend to secure his place in our team of the week for the lower league Ghanaian players abroad.

Alongside the bony framed Liefering forward upfront are Clifford Aboagye and Jonathan Opoku in a dreaded attacking trio.

At the middle of the pitch are Divine Naah, Richard Boateng and Derreck Boateng in a 4-3-3 flexible system that has Bright Addae, Nuru Sulley, Isaac Donkor and Maxwell Acosty in the back four.

Goalkeeper Razak Braimah maintains his place between the sticks despite his 1-0 defeat with Cordoba over the weekend.

Below is the Sportscrusader.com Lower League Team of the Week and the number of minutes each player played.

1. RAZAK BRAIMAH-90’ CORDOBA

2. Nuru Sulley-90’ Alanyaspor

3. Maxwell Acosty Boadu- Latina

4. Isaac Donkor-75’ Bari

5. Bright Addae-90’ Ascoli

6. Divine Naah-90’ NAC Breda

7. Richard Boateng-90’ Granada II

8. Derreck Boateng-90’ Rayo OKC

9. JONATHAN OPOKU-90’ VV VENLO

10. DAVID ADONA ATANG- 90’ LEIFERING

11. Clifford Aboagye-90’ Granada II

SUBS

12. Richmond Boakye-30’ Latina

13. Kinglsey Boateng-30’ Bari

14. Yussif Chibsah-90’ Ljunskile

15. DENNIS AGYARE ANTWI-90’ JERV

16. Kinglsey Sarfo-90’ Siruis

17. Hiram Boateng-90’ Plymouth Argyle

18. Thormas Boakey-45’ Vaberg

Sportscrusader.com Lower Leagues Team Of The Week

Leicester City Team "Could Be Worth £200m"

The value of Leicester City’s squad could “triple or quadruple” after their Premier League title win.

The Foxes’ squad was assembled for £57m, the cheapest of any currently in the top half of the table.

“If you take Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez as individuals, you’re looking at £70m there,” said agent and sports lawyer David Seligman of Leicester’s attacking duo.

“You’re looking at a team of upwards of £200m.”

Leicester paid £1m for 29-year-old former non-league striker Vardy in 2012, while winger Mahrez, 25, joined for £400,000 in 2014.

Mahrez and Vardy have scored or assisted 48 of Leicester’s 64 league goals this season, and have both earned international caps for England and Algeria respectively.

France midfielder N’Golo Kante, 25, was bought from Caen for £5.6m and has also been a key asset for Claudio Ranieri’s side this term.

In January, research conducted by the International Centre for Sports Studies valued Vardy and Kante at 25m euros (£19.8m), with Mahrez at 40m euros (£31.7m).

Those figures differ from the values provided by market value analysis website Transfermarkt in the above graphic, although Seligman believes Leicester’s star names could command even higher prices.

“If people are paying £50m plus for Raheem Sterling, then Mahrez is worth more than that. He’s still got his peak to come,” said Seligman.

“Kante signed an initial contract a year ago and hasn’t signed another one and only has a year left. His rise has been meteoric.

“They’re all going on to be international players and that adds to the price tag. They’re better players now and also they’re superstars commercially. Their values are going to increase massively.”

Vardy signed a new three-year contract with Leicester in February, but has been linked with moves to former champions Manchester United and Chelsea.

“If you’ve got clubs like Chelsea, United and Arsenal coming in I don’t think you can turn them down – even if you wouldn’t be playing week in week out,” added Seligman.

“But Leicester are champions with billionaire owners. If United can pay someone £200k a week then so can Leicester.”

BBC

Leicester City Team "Could Be Worth £200m"

Sportscrusader.com Lower Leagues Team Of The Week

The Sportscrusader.com Lower Leagues Team of the Week is an initiative introduced by the fastest growing sports web portal in Ghana to demonstrate how Ghanaian players perform for their various clubs abroad.To set the records straight, as we have always done, players are selected based on the following criteria:

1. The Coefficient of the league they play.

2. The competition they are in (If they are not playing league matches).

3. Consistency.

4. The competition they face from other players playing for the same position.

5. The positions they play.

6. The number of minutes played in the game.

7. The contribution of the player to the success of the game.

Moses Odjier stole the headlines for the wrong reasons after his expulsion from Salernitana’s 3-1 win over Livorno in the Serie B. The pocket size however had done enough to steer his side further away from the drop.

Jonathan Opoku took his season tally to 13 in a 1-0 win for VV Venlo in the Dutch Erste league. The rampant forward has been partnered upfront with Erixon Danso and Richmond Boakye Yiadom.

At the middle of the pitch are Derreck Boateng, Albert Adomah and Dennis Agyare Antwi for the lower league based Ghanaian players.

Razak Braimah enjoyed spectacular outings for Cordoba between the sticks to keep alive their promotion hopes in the Spanish Segunda division.

Below is the Sportscrusader.com lower league Team of the Week and the number of minutes each player played.

1.       RAZAK BRAIMAH-90’ CORDOBA

2.       LEEROY OWUSU-90′ AJAX II

3.       EMMANUEL NTIM-90′ VALENCIENNES

4.       NURU SULLEY-90’ ALANYA

5.       DANIEL SOWATEY-90’SHUMEN 1929

6.       DERRECK BOATENG- 90′ RAYO OKC

7.       ALBERT ADOMAH -90’ MIDDLESBOROUGH

8.       DENNIS AGYARE ANTWI-90′ JERV

9.       JONATHAN OPOKU-90’VV VENLO

10.   RICHMOND BOAKYE-25′ LATINA

11.   ERIXON DANSON -90 EMMEM

RESERVES

12.   KWAME NSOR- SEIRANG

13.   KINGSLEY SARFO-90′ SIRIUS

14.   ISAAC DONKOR-80′ BARI

15.   ABU AGOGO-90′ SHREWSBURY

16. ERIC OCANSEY-85’ EUPEN

17.   PAUL ADDO-90′ BRYNE

18. CLIFFORD ABOAGY- 64′ GRANADA II

Sportscrusader.com Lower Leagues Team Of The Week

Sportscrusader.com Team Of The Week

The Sportscrusader.com Team of the Week is an initiative introduced by the fastest growing sports web portal in Ghana to demonstrate how Ghanaian players perform for their various clubs abroad.

To set the records straight, as we have always done, players are selected based on the following criteria:

1. The Coefficient of the league they play

2. The competition they are in (If they are not playing league matches)

3. Consistency

4. The competition they face from other players playing for the same position.

5. The positions they play

6. The number of minutes played in the game, and

7. The contribution of the player to the success of the game.

Adam Larson Kwarasey remains sidelined for Portland Timbers in the MLS but lack of goal keeping rivals means he will keep his place between the sticks on his possible return next week for the Timbers.

In front of him however will be a new looking back four that has Daniel Opare and Baba Rahman as Wing-backs whiles John Boye returns to partner Nana Asare at the heart of the defense. Opare steered Augsberg to an unlikely victory at the Volswagen Arena on his third straight appearance in this season.

At the middle of the pitch lies Alfred Duncan, whose combative nature proved crucial for AS Sassoulo over Torino in the Serie A. The 22 year old is being flanked by Mubarack Wakasu and Frank Acheampong on either sides.

An attacking trio of Jeff Schlupp and the Ayew brothers will be tasked with the attacking prowess of the team. The ranking of the Premiership favoured the Ayew brothers despite other players souring high for their clubs.

The sportscrusader.com team of the week is seen below:

1. Adam Kwarasey- Portland Timbers

2. Daniel Opare-90′ Augsburg

3. Baba Rahman- 90′ Chelsea

4. John Boye-90′ Sivaspor

5. Nana Asare-90′ Gent

6.Alfred Duncan- 90′ AS Sassoulo

7. Frank Acheampong-90′ Anderlecht

8. Mubarack Wakasu-28’Las Palmas

9. Jordan Ayew- 60′ Aston Villa

10. Andre Ayew-90′ Swansea City

11. Jeff Schlupp- 82′ Leicester City.

Reserves.

12. Emmanuel Boateng- 90′ Galaxy

13. Harrison Afful-90′ Columbus Crew

14. Agyemang Badu-90′ Udinese

15. Charles Sarpong -90′ Philadelphia Union

16. Mahatma Otoo-90′ Sogndal

17. Alhassan Wakasu-90′ Rio Aves

18. Asamoah Gyan-47’Shenghai SPIG.

Sportscrusader.com Team Of The Week

We"re Ready For Any Team - Samartex FC

GN Bank Division One club and giant killer’s of Accra Hearts of Oak in the FA Cup competition, Samartex FC has cautioned the remaining clubs to be wary when they are paired against them in the next round of the MTN FA Cup competition.

The Samreboi based club made the headlines during an action packed weekend in the competition when they eliminated high-flying Ghana Premier League club, Accra Hearts of Oak from this year’s competition on a 5-4 penalty scoreline.

Simpson Darko, Welfare and Operations Manager of Samartex FC in a post match interview after their giant slaying of one of Ghana’s biggest club’s, warned the the remaining 15-clubs on how worried they should be when facing them in the next round of the competition.

He said, “we eliminated Hearts of Oak and played the full duration without conceding against their potent attack and finished the job with a penalty shoot-out win”.

“We are prepared to meet any team and no matter the venue, we are ready to beat them and march on to the next stage,” he added.

We"re Ready For Any Team - Samartex FC

Team Manager Sabahn Quaye Pleads For Patience For Hearts

Accra Hearts of Oak Team Manager, Nii Sabahn Quaye has implored the supporters of the club to exercise restraint in the on-going Ghana Premier League season season.

The supporters of the club were highly incensed with officiating in the team’s 1-3 defeat by All Stars at home last Sunday.

Although they rallied around the team when they clawed a goal back in the second half, it was not enough as the Phobians fell to a first defeat of the season.

“I am pleading to our supporters to have patience for the team,” Sabahn told the club’s official newspaper, the HEARTS NEWS.“All the noise coming up now is only putting pressure on the boys.

“We intended lying slowly for people not to see what we are doing [on the field of play]; we want to play the games as such.

“The fans should exercise patience for us; we know how to tackle the games; and we will do so one after the other,” he said.

The reaction of the supporters means the team will be playing a number of home matches away from home; an action Sabahn feels will affect the team financially. But the Hearts Team Manager has urged the fans to exercise restraint.

“We are not thinking about the ban but definitely, financially, it will go against us. Our matches have been put into the system since we started and so if the ban comes, it will affect us financially and the players psychologically and that is why I am pleading to the supporters to exercise restraint,” he added.

 

Team Manager Sabahn Quaye Pleads For Patience For Hearts

Jordan Ayew Leads A Team Of Star Players Likely To Join The Drop

Aston Villa Ghanaian forward Jordan Ayew has been included in a team of star players likely to go on relegation with their clubs, at the end of the current campaign.

The trickery Black Stars wideman, has been one of the few shining spots in an otherwise disastrous season for his beleaguered club as they stare at relegation with no hopes of survival.

The Ghanaian, is joined upfront by a Newcastle United duo of Musah Sissoko and Ayoze Perez in a deadly attacking partnership.

Whoscored.com, one of the largest online database website globally assembled, the best eleven players from the basement clubs of the 2015/15 Premiership with just six matches to the end of the season.

Rafa Benitez Toon army dominated the starting XI with five players in the team, whiles Jordan Ayew is joined by two other club mates in Mika Richards and Ibrahima Gueye.

Rob Eliot has been spotted as the best of the three possibly relegated custodians whiles Yunus Kaboul , Yan Mvila sealed their place in the side a representatives from Sunderland.

Best XI Players likely to be relegated Rob Eliot, Darryl Janmaat, Micha Richard, Yunus Kaboul, Rudy Brady, Iddrisa Gana, Yan Mvila, Musah Sissoko, Ayoze Perez and Jordan Ayew.

Jordan Ayew arrived at the Villa Park at the start of the campaign but his 5 odd strikes could not power Aston Villa out of a dreadful start to the season that has three wins to their name all season.

Jordan Ayew Leads A Team Of Star Players Likely To Join The Drop

Starlets Performance Good For The Under 20 Team - Najahu Issah.

Goal keepers trainer of the Black Satellites Najahu Issah has heaped praises on the current Ghana U-17 side after their monstrous performance in the just ended Independence Cup in Namibia.

The Starlets  eased their way past their opponents to lift the glamorous trophy at stake in the four nation independence tournament but Najahu Issah said the impact of the players goes beyond just winning the mini trophy.

The former Real Tamale United shot stopper revealed that performances like this from the Starlets can only improve the U-20 side, the Black Satellites team with the needed transitions.

The experienced custodian himself,  tipped the current generation of the Starlets to make a  smooth transition to the U-20 and further up the national team log.

Najahu told sportscrusader.com that,  “the U-17 team is always a pilot team for U-20, anytime that the U-17 side performs well in any major competition it is always a clear indication that automatically the U-20 will definitely perform or do well too,’ he said.

“The U-17 team cannot be separated from the U-20 team in anyway since players move up the ladder with age and experience,” he added.

On the composition of the U-20 side for the upcoming African qualifiers, the aced shot stopper said, “a very strong work from the U-17 technical team makes the work of the Satellites coaches very easy”.

“It also helps the management to start with a seed team and know exactly where to start from before scouting for more talents,” he stated.

The newly assembled U-17 side under the technical guidance of Coach Paa Kwesi Fabin hinted at returning the nation back to its glory days with their sexy football in that Namibia tournament.

The technical team toured the entire nation to scout for talents and their exercise was confirmed in Namibia when they massacred their opponents by a combined aggregate of 15-2 in the four matches they played.

Starlets Performance Good For The Under 20 Team - Najahu Issah.

This Hearts Team Can Emulate Our Achievements – Amankwah Mireku

Former Accra Hearts of Oak captain, Yaw Amankwah Mireku has said the current crop of players at the club can emulate their achievements of the 2000’s with time.

Mireku was part of the Hearts of Oak set-up that won the CAF Champions League in 2000, the 2001 Africa Super Cup as well as the CAF Confederation Cup in 2004/05.

And he said, this generation of talents at the club has within them what it takes to get to the very top of the African game if given time.

Speaking West End Radio in the Western region, the former Ghana international said how they are being set-up to play was exactly how they started their adventure which yielded dividends at the end of the day.

He praised the efforts of Coach Kenichi Yatsuhashi in focusing on his job and ignoring the negative criticisms that came his way when he first took the job.

“So much was said about the coach when he was first appointed, but, being that professional, he stood to what he was doing and now we can all see the results,” Mireku said.

“I like the way the team is set out to play, you can see that there is some pattern of development, and, this is what all successful Hearts of Oak sides began,” he added.

“With time, I believe these boys will raise up to the challenge and do as we did for Accra Hearts of Oak,” he pointed out, stressing that all that they need is the support of the fans at all times.

This Hearts Team Can Emulate Our Achievements – Amankwah Mireku

Belgium Attacks: National Team Cancel Training Session

Belgium have cancelled Tuesday’s training session out of respect for the victims of the Brussels attacks.

The national team are scheduled to play Portugal in a friendly at Brussels’ King Baudouin Stadium on 29 March but the fixture is now in doubt.

Several explosions struck Brussels Airport and the metro system, causing at least 13 deaths, Belgian media say.

Belgium have qualified for Euro 2016 in France and are in Group E with Italy, the Republic of Ireland and Sweden.

Belgium Attacks: National Team Cancel Training Session

Christian Atsu misses out on CAF Best XI

Confederation of African Football(CAF), was sensationally omitted Christian Atsu from the finest 18 man squad at the annual Glo CAF awards night in Abuja.

The 23 year old Ghana international won the best player at the 2015 African Cup of Nations but was overlooked in the selection for the team of the year in the Award Night.

Atsu stormed the continental football festival 12 months ago as he led the Black Stars to the silver medal.

The injury ravaged trickery winger however failed to build on his swashbuckling international form at the club level and has since been battling injuries and form all season.

An expected breakthrough season with Premiership newbies AFC Bournemouth proved catastrophic as the Ghanaian has been restricted to just two cup appearances for Eddie Howe high flying Cherries.

Newly crowned CAF player of the year Peirre Emmerick Aubameyeng leads a scary forward that includes Sadio Mane, Andre Ayew and the rampant Bwana Ally Sammata from TP Mazembe.

Four time African footballer of the year Yaya Toure missed out on the award for the first time in five years but has been planted into the starting XI of the continent’s finest players.

Christian Atsu misses out on CAF Best XI

Team Sheet: Obed Owusu and Dauda Mohammed lead Kotoko in Ceremonial Match

Coach David Duncan has named Dauda Mohammed and Obed Owusu in his starting XI at home to Serbian side Jogadino in the 80th anniversary match at the Baba Yara Sports stadium.

Annan was preferred to Ernest Sowah for the safest pair of hand ahead of the dicey duel at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.

In the middle of the park, Steven Nyarko, Jackson Owusu will be asked to provide defensive solidity in front of Amos Frimpong, Edwin Tuffuor Frimpong, Richard Osei Agyemang and the award winning Ahmed Adams in a solid back four.

The record league champions are billed to take on Serbia side Jogadino on the 80th anniversary of the Red Army.

Asante Kotoko*Ghana) XI vs. FK Jagodina (Serbia)

Felix Annan

Amos Frimpong

Edwin Tuffour Frimpong

Ahmed Adams

Richard Osei Agyemang

Theophilous Nyame

Jackson Owusu

Stephen Nyarko

Eric Donkor

Obed Owusu

Dauda Mohammed

Head coach : David Duncan

Kick Off: 5:30 pm

Team Sheet: Obed Owusu and Dauda Mohammed lead Kotoko in Ceremonial Match