By Ameenu Shardow
Goalkeeper Daniel Adjei shares his experience after leading the Black Meteors to an unprecedented gold at the just ended All Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique.
The Liberty Professionals glovesman played in integral part in the team's success after making three saves in the penalty shootouts in the grand finale to deny South Africa a second straight win over the Black Meteors in the competition.
GSN: Thank you and congratulations on your historic feat at the All Africa Games.
DA: Thank you.
GSN: So could you please run us through the experience in Maputo?
DA: Every tournament comes with its own uniqueness and this one is no exception. This one has exposed us to conditions be it god or bad in Africa but overall I’d say it was a good tournament.
GSN: With the well publicized challenges in Mozambique, would you say this tournament was well organized?
DA: Somehow because for the first time in a tournament players had no tag which indicates we are taking part in the All Africa Games and also the was no markings on the medals presented to us for everyone to know we were winners so really, I cannot say it was a bad competition but I also can’t say it was the best.
GSN: Now onto the field of play, did you really believe this team was capable of winning the ultimate especially after losing the opening game to South Africa.
DA: Yes of course. The thing about the SA defeat is that they got lucky with the only chance they created and we were unlucky not to have converted the numerous chances that came our way.
GSN: With five games played, which one do you think was the most difficult and why?
DA: Oh it was against Cameroon because they were very aggressive and were constantly attacking us but with the help of the coaches we were able to sail through.
GSN: Ghana went behind very late in the grand finale; at that point did you really believe we could have still won it?
DA: To be very honest with you I thought it was all over. The thought of we losing like the women did in the finals kept running through my mind because it was left with only three minutes or so to play.
GSN: So describe the emotions you were going through when we won a penalty and subsequently after it was converted by Mahatma Otoo.
DA: Immediately we won the penalty I began to think about Asamoah Gyan’s penalty miss at the 2010 World Cup because I was there myself and I kept praying Mahatma didn’t miss. I turned to look at the scoreboard because I just couldn’t stand to watch and thankfully Mahatma scored and I was very relieved and excited.
GSN: The game went to extra time and subsequently to the shoot-outs. Now not too often do you have the goalkeeper take the second kick as you did. What went into that decision?
DA: Actually Prince Baffoe was supposed to have taken that kick but he was substituted late in the game. It was arranged during our pre-match that I will take the fourth kick but when Prince was substituted the technical team asked me whether I would be comfortable taking the second and I had no problem with it.
GSN: How crucial was the experience gained in the U-20 World Cup in 2009 where you also made some saves during the shootout against Brazil in this one.
DA: It helped a lot because I told myself that following what I did in Egypt 2009 I can never lose a shootout.
GSN: So then what makes you so good at shootouts?
DA: I study how my opponents stand. Sometimes it is very difficult to read the opponents but most at times I get the direction by looking at the way they stand before kicking.
GSN: So you pulled-out saves and Ghana emerged winners, describe the feeling at that point.
DA: Actually I did not even realize we had won until I saw the bench running onto the pitch. I was just concentrated on saving the kicks so it took a while to realize we had won it.
GSN: Now after the game in the dressing room or back at the team’s base I am sure you’d be reflecting on the whole competition, what was running through your mind then?
DA: I had then just realized the enormous achievement we have made considering no one gave us the local boys a chance and also because of the hardships we went through.
GSN: How much by way of contribution did Coach Akwasi Appiah and his technical team make in this success story?
DA: I would say his input was about 70% while the remaining 30% was from players. They were the ones who kept on encouraging and teaching us how to go about things. I would say without them, probably we would have been kicked out after the first round.
GSN: On a personal level, what next for Daniel Adjei?
DA: I would revert back to my club Liberty and try to help them achieve something this season so right know my concentration would be on my club career.
GSN: Thank you very much and once more congratulations.
DA: Thank you too.