Albert Adomah will bea wearing no.10 jersey at 2013 AFCON

By Ameenu Shardow

Albert Adomah says he is honoured to be wearing the Ghana no.10 jersey but insists he feels no pressure with the weight of expectations that comes with wearing the shirt.

The 25-year-old was handed the iconic shirt following Andre Ayew’s pull out from the Black Stars team for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations over uncertainties surrounding a hamstring injury.

The no.10 shirt has been worn with distinction in the recent past by Abedi Pele and Stephen Appiah.

Ghanaians are obsessed with the idea of the no.10 being the one to carry the team on the shoulders especially when things are not going well.

This has heightened the weight of expectations on whoever picks up the shirt, more crucially in major tournaments such as the Nations Cup.

But the Bristol City winger insists he is not pressured by this perceived responsibility even though he is honoured to be joining a fine list of Ghanaian players to have donned the shirt.

“Of course I am delighted that I am wearing the no. 10 jersey because great players like Abedi Pele has worn it and he is one of the most known African players around the world and he is a great legend,” he told Citi FM.

“And his son has worn the shirt likewise Stephen Appiah, so many great players.

“I mean that is the thing with Ghana, when you have the number it is supposed to play in your position.

“For instance if you have the no.2 you are playing right defence, if you have no.4 you are playing central defence….no.10 is a playmaker, if you have no.9 is a striker etc.

“But it really doesn’t matter about number, it is about what you can do on the pitch like Asamoah Gyan wears no.3 but he is not a defender.

“So I look at it as no pressure, it is just a number but at the same time I know great players have worn that number which is a privilege to wear that no. 10 without doubt.

“But at the same time I know I am a winger, even for the club I play for I don’t wear no.7 I wear no.27.

“I know it is a number and a privilege to wear that number but at the same time I don’t feel no pressure.”