When was the last time you heard the name, Samuel Appiah? It might be several months since you saw Samuel Appiah typed on a team sheet or appear on your screen. He’s not retired, no. He’s only 28- and yet his stock has significantly fallen since his arrival at Asante Kotoko SC at the beginning of the 2021/22 football season. It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

His move to Kotoko was to provide him the chance to take his talents to one of the biggest clubs in the country. Except it hasn’t quite worked out that way.

As each week passes, more and more Kotoko fans are asking the above question. This is the right-back who was recorded a series of fine performances for Medeama SC for seasons and was recognised as one of the best in his position in Ghana’s elite league.

His combative approach, combined with a relentless engine, established him quickly as a fan favourite in Tarkwa. It seemed the Porcupine Warriors had found a player who was destined to be a fixture in the side for years to come.

Sadly, Appiah’s Kotoko career has fizzled out almost immediately after it looked like he was really getting started. Clearly, something has gone wrong. Appiah has made only two appearances in the league and suffered the ignominy of not even being on the bench for most of Kotoko’s games. He moved from Medeama to Kotoko to much fanfare.

However, while it promised to be the next step in his exciting career in club football, it proved to be a false dawn.

Appiah’s time at Kotoko has been ravaged by injury and erratic form. There have been times he produced moments of genius, harkening back to those halcyon Medeama days, but they were scattered and not decisive.

Reports in the Ghanaian media suggest that Appiah will be made available for transfer at the end of the season. Naturally Medeama are being touted as a possible destination, either on loan or permanently. One of the finest players ever to turn out for the club, it is telling that there is not a huge clamour for his return. Perhaps his recent form has dulled any Medeama appetite to see him back.

It is a sad state of affairs for a player illuminated the league at his best. Kotoko is not the most patient club at the best of times so a career rebirth elsewhere feels more likely than a rise to prominence at the club. Still, only 28, if Appiah is fit and firing, he could be an asset to someone. Until then, though one can only feel wistful for the time when Samuel Appiah was truly one of the best right-backs in the league.

Appiah has never been a player to dictate a match but he has appeared to be almost shying away in the Garden City. There could be a few different reasons as to why that is, but one of those reasons certainly isn’t Appiah’s quality as a footballer.

That doesn’t mean he can’t still be a success at Kotoko in the long term, but he needs to get his mojo back if he wants etch his name in the club’s folklore.

Source : Kickgh