Enoch Adu Kofi wins Goal Ghana PoTY 2014

Sports News of Tuesday, 6 January 2015

Source: Goal.com

Enoch Adu Kofi Award1

The Sweden-based star has been crowned Ghana’s finest by the country’s premier football website’s readers and had a lot to say on receiving his award

Malmo FF midfielder Enoch Adu Kofi has expressed his delight and gratitude to his fans and the wider Ghanaian football fandom for helping him claim 2014’s Goal Ghana Player of the Year prize.

“To them [the fans], I am immensely grateful as they have shown me great support. I’ve heard many pray I make it good so I can only urge they keep at it and supporting me so greater heights would be attained in the future,” Kofi said after receiving his award.

Looking ahead, Adu Kofi (2306 out of 3163 total votes) – who beat the likes of Asamoah Gyan (305 votes), Kwadwo Asamoah (317 votes), Andre Ayew (186 votes) and Augustine Okrah (49 votes) in clinching the gong – maintains that such successes as that which Goal handed him on New Year’s Day would spur him on “to continue like this next season.”

Kofi cites participating fully in all eight Uefa Champions League games for Malmo this season (including a two-legged playoff against Sparta Praha and FC Salzburg) as well as a maiden call-up for the Black Stars at the end of 2014 among his highlights for the year under review, although finishing bottom in their [Malmo’s] group in European competition – featuring Juventus, Olympiacos, and last year’s losing finalists Atletico Madrid – soured the joy somewhat.

“Yes, we were a little disappointed,” he admits regarding the ultimately ill-fated Champions League experience, “because we couldn’t make it to the next level but hopefully the future would hold out brighter prospects if Malmo and myself get the chance again.”

He would also be let down by his omission from the 26-man squad (whittled down from the 31 he was part of) due Ghana’s Seville camp ahead of this month’s Nations Cup. Nevertheless, Kofi hopes to make such opportunities count as often as they do present themselves.

“Playing for one’s country is very important and is a privilege every player needs so, for a fact, I am very happy about being considered. It goes without saying that I want to do more to prove myself to the nation whenever called on to defend Ghana’s colours,” he stated.

The 2014 Allsvenskan winner, who models himself after the likes of Barcelona skipper and playmaker Xavi Hernandez, Italy legend Andrea Pirlo, as well as countryman Kwadwo Asamoah, describes himself as a player who likes “to possess the ball, keep the action going, and enjoy the game while simultaneously helping the entire team play good football.”

Indeed, the relatively few Ghanaians who saw him play for Malmo last year would be left with little doubt that Adu Kofi is certainly the kind of footballer he claims to be. With an ever expanding fanbase and greater limelight, the 24-year-old would be able to elevate himself even more in 2015.

Well done, Adu.