THE NO.10 JERSEY - MOST PRIZED POSSESSION?

Am back again with exciting, exhilarating, electrifying issue taunting my heartbeat. Call it whatever you wish but my big thumbs will not stop punching.

You may say it inside of you that I am talking gabble gibberish – I don’t care! You may feel that I am writing this because someone somewhere has given me abinchi – I don’t care! You may insinuate that this boy is out again with his rubbish – I don’t care! Whatever I pick my mind to scribble upon, and then I am in for it, chikina! At least no be you dey pay my bills, so why should I care?

Recently, not too long all the media in Ghana were writing, talking, shouting, screaming and I must say that many of them gossiped of the fact that the son of the former Black Star skipper had been handed the numero 10 jersey. ‘Ha! No be taboo to collect one man’s goat give another man pikin ke?’ That was my question, and then I was hinted that the former owner of that number screamed for rescue after he had been visited by the ‘spirits’ at nights to either loose his position or release that jersey number. Wonders shall or may never end in this part of Africa.

Here is how one media house in Ghana coined the story, ‘Ghana midfielder Andre ‘Dede’ Ayew will wear the number 10 jersey at the Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.  The 22-year–old has been officially handed the jersey on a permanent basis after Udinese midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah informed the Ghana Football Association (GFA) that he is no longer interested in the No. 10 shirt due to personal reasons’.

For those who don’t know how Kwadwo got that number, he was given that after former Black Stars captain retired from international duties after the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa. The development means Ayew will now use the same jersey number his father, Abedi Pele, used whiles playing for the Black Stars, and Kwadwo? He will rather want to add ten plus ten to get number 20. Make peace for prevail na.

That is just how it is with that jersey No. 10 out there in Ghana but the truth remains that many famous players have wore that number and it has thus become one of the most prized possession.

If you think I am lying, then let’s take a walk in to the world of, Pele, Maradona, Michel Platini, Zinedine Zidane, Johan Cruyff, Roberto Baggio, Ronaldhino, Francesco Totti, Luis Figo, Raul Gonzalez, Zico, Michael Owen, Gheorghe Hagi, Rivaldo, Mario Kempes, Ruud Gullit, Jay-Jay Okocha, Ference Puskas, Juan Roman Riquelme, Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Messi, Kaka, Rooney, Fabregas, etc. the question remains that ‘haven’t they dazzled your minds and eyes to great football’?

One will never stop pondering that what makes a great No. 10? You may have your own definition to that question but we must not forget that that number is mostly given to playmakers. Influential players who can twist and turn defenders like that merry-go-round thing. Most of them, who are captains, possess that leadership ability cum incredible footballing ability.

A football panelist who is a dear friend said that, No. 10s ‘individually makes players around them better because they are conductors who orchestrate the pace of the game’.

I cannot disagree less because they possess an incredible touch and wonderful dribbling ability. Their ball control is second to none; it is very difficult to take the ball off their feet. They are extremely well-balanced and strong players, with low center of gravity. They possess the elegance and class. They are effortless, smooth, simply and romantic with the ball. They great free-kick takers, excellent dribblers. They have that ability to lead, create and score goals. They have that technique that puts them on top of their showmanship.