Ghana, the land of some of Africa's most gifted players, recently unleashed the latest talent off the never-ending midfield production line.
Jordan Ayew was only 18 when he was handed a shock call to the Black Stars squad a few weeks ago, a surprising move given that the country already has a plethora of midfielders.
World-class players like Michael Essien, Anthony Annan, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Dede Ayew and Kwadwo Asamoah will be fighting it out for the few spots available in the Black Stars side.
For a youngster to be considered in this midfield, the player must be truly talented and his prospects must have been the reason why ex-Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac handed him the call.
The fact that he plays for French giants Marseille is not reason enough for a player to earn a place in the Black Stars, because there are so many Ghanaians now playing for top clubs in Europe.
The competition for places in Ghana’s midfield is keen, so for a bit-part Marseille youngster to be considered he should be a special talent, and Jordan is rightly surprised.
“I must say that I was a bit shocked when my club told me about an invitation to play for the Black Stars because I was also thinking about playing for the Under-20 to qualify for the African Cup,†Jordan Ayew said.
Even though Jordan’s call-up to the Black Stars a surprised him, it was not a major shock for Ghanaians because of the talents coming out of the Ayew family.
The younger Ayews like Andre and Ibrahim are the most recent members of the family to play for Ghana, but the older Ayews namely Abedi, Kwame and Sola all did extremely well when they played for Ghana in the 1990s.
Abedi Pele’s boots were at the epicentre of the eruption of joyous relief that seized his hysterical team-mates, the 50 000 screaming fans at the Accra Sports Stadium and the millions who were going bananas at home.
Jordan’s pace and trickery down the right wing have seen him likened to Cristiano Ronaldo and even though little has been seen of him with the few appearances for Marseille so far the future looks very promising.
Surprisingly, Jordan was not keen on football as a child as his interest was in motor racing, but he quickly honed his talent while playing for the junior side of his father’s club, Nania FC.
Rubbing his hands with relief that his two eldest sons, Ibrahim and Andre, have both fulfilled their dreams of playing for Ghana at the highest level, Abedi says the best from the Ayew family will be seen in Jordan.
“I don’t want to talk about my children too much but one thing is clear. Jordan has got a bigger potential than my other two kids,†said three-time African Player of Year, Abedi.
But the youngest of the Ayew family had to fend off interest from France, where he was born, to enable him play for his father’s country.
"It was a good thing for me and the family. I didn't think it will be now but it has come and I am delighted," the 19-year-old said, when he was handed his first Ghana call.
“I spoke to the France football officials last month and they were ready to invite me but I refused.
“That decision was not because of my brothers, Andre and Rahim, or my dad, but it is because I’m a Ghanaian and my whole family is in Ghana and when I have holidays I come to Ghana. I’m a Ghanaian so I have to play for Ghana.
“I discussed this with my mum and dad about and they liked it so it wasn’t anything difficult to do.â€
For the pacey midfielder who can play on either wing or through the middle and also as a striker, his ambition is to excel when playing for Ghana.
"I will do my possible best to remain at the highest level but I don't want to put pressure on myself.
“It is my objective to be in the Black Stars game every time. I have overcome the shock of my first call up so now I am keen to hold onto it."
Jordan spent time at the Marseille academy before he was promoted last season.
Source: MTNFootball.com
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