INTERVIEW: Cast in the mould of Didier Drogba Ghana's Raphael Dwamena has unquenchable appetite for scoring goals

Published on: 12 October 2016
INTERVIEW: Cast in the mould of Didier Drogba Ghana's Raphael Dwamena has unquenchable appetite for scoring goals
Raphael Dwamena in action for Liefering in Austria

Raphael Dwamena has bagged 10 goals in 14 games in Austria and is Ghana's top scorer among Ghanaian players plying their trade abroad. 

The 20-year-old has been phenomenal in the Austrian Liga 1, emerging as a reliable source of goals to fuel their promotion campaign.

But before his arrival at the Reichshofstadion things weren't that rosy at Liefering. It was a period of unfulfilled promised and unrealised dreams.

Through the heartbreak of nagging injury, the then 19-year-old was limited to inconsistent appearances for Liefering's second team despite being drafted into Red Bull Salzburg's Europa League squad a year earlier due to his massive promise. The former Sogakope Red Bull starlet shed light on an early career adversary.

"When I finished the season with Redbull Under 18 I was on fire. Unfortunately when I had the chance to the 2nd team(Liefering), I got injured. It was groin injury. I was worried and crying all day and night because I also had the chance to play for the first team. They even registered my name for the Europa league. That's I think 2 and half years now. I didn't understand why this happened. I was dejected, ignored, etc because we had a lot of scans but nothing show I was seriously injured. So it became a very trying time for me."

The young striker reached the crossroads when he had to exit the doors at Liefering and seek new adventure elsewhere to rediscover himself.

"It was quite difficult in Liefering because players from the first team come (those who don't get the chance to play). And when they come, they have to start the game. So I wasn't getting enough playing time to show what I can do. I was a little worried because my contract was also expiring and I wanted to show that I'm capable of doing my best. I believe God was using these hard moments for me to fully trust in Him. Here in Lustenau, the trainer gives me everything a player needs (motivation,love etc)."

And he has rediscover his talent, scoring in sixes and sevens, netting week in week out. The talented forward is cast in the mould of Ivory Coast legend Didier Drogba leads the goal king chart, leapfrogging his Ghanaian compatriot Samuel Tetteh in the process and he expresses thrill about his form but underlines training as the secret of his success.

"I train a lot personally. I always want to better than I was yesterday. I always compete myself. But without God's hands in it, nothing will work. I'm grateful to God."

He says there are dangerous strikers around in the league who pose a challenge to his ambitions but he's got a key differentiator.

"There is a great challenge in the goal king race. Everyone wants to win. And everyone is dangerous too. But I'm just doing my job as a striker. Always working hard to improve in every single game."

While others have likened his talent his talen to Belgium and Everton star Romelu Lukaku, Dwamena says he's impressed with French man Antoine Griezmann who tags as the best striker in the world.

"Well right now for me I'm not looking up to anyone but I think the best striker in the world at the moment is Griezmann."

His beams with smile as he recollects how he got the chance to join Liefering through a Ghanaian academy Sogakope Red Bulls.

"Red Bull Salzburg was usually inviting players from Sogakope for training trials. After a tournament in France I won the best player award and Salzburg invited me to have a 2 week training for them to further assess me. Thank God after that trials, they found interest in me and asked me to go and prepare and come for good. Thats how I got to Salzburg."

Ghana coach Avram Grant has declared he's in need of strikers to fill the ranks of his attacking army and hopes his prodigious scoring form is drawing the attention of the Israeli gaffer.

"It would be a great honour to represent my nation. I'm looking forward to it."

By El Akyereko

Follow the writer on Twitter: @AkyerekOfficial

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