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| Emmanuel Agyenim Boateng |
Ghana and LA Galaxy’s young midfielder Emmanuel
Boateng says playing for Ghana one day would be a great feeling and a dream
come true.
The former Helsingborg winger has been sensational
in the 2016 Major League Soccer (MLS) for LA Galaxy capping his superlative
performance last weekend with a goal and two assists against the then
undefeated Real Salt Lake.
Boateng, 22, made the headlines in his second start
of the season with some electrifying runs on the left side of Galaxy’s attack
that helped secure the three points for LA.
Speaking on wide range of issues on Ghana Soccer US
(www.ghsoccerus.net), Boateng said he will cherish a national call
up in future.
“That is what we all dream of. It will definitely be
a dream come true to represent my nation. It will be a great feeling for sure
to be there – something that I have dreamt of in all 22 years of my life”.
He said his mindset is to take up any opportunity
that will come his way and that includes representing his country in future.
This, he believes can come at any time, hence his resolve to give off his best
anytime he plays for LA Galaxy.
“It could be two years or even three months from
now, who knows? Players develop from different rates and opportunities come in
different ways”, Boateng indicated, adding “I may be called in to deputize for
a player who has taken a knock or suspended; I step in, play my best and the
coach is eager; I could be called into the national team soon or if that does
not happen and I keep developing sturdily, I may be called into the national
team two or three years from now.
“In this business, things change very quickly and
you just have to grab any opportunity giving to you. I mean it could be
anytime; may be two months from now or whenever the coaches think I am ready”,
Boateng intimated.
He was of the view that a national team call up will
only come when he plays well for LA.
“It has been my mindset to push my limit and prove
to my coaches anytime I step on the field. I have to take care of everything
here first and then the national team will come naturally. If I am not playing
well here when the opportunity is giving to me, then I will close the door on
that but I have to first take care of things here and if I am able to do that,
all other opportunities will come”.
But does Boateng believe Ghanaian players in North
America have been overlooked by Ghana national team selectors?
“I don’t think so yet, it might be the case for
other players but for me, I think the guys who get called to the national team
are the guys who have proven themselves”, he answered.
He said his chances of playing for the Black Stars
are brighter.
“I think I can go in and do a good job but it all
depends on me taking care of things here first. I know it is in the near future
and I am waiting for it but I don’t think I have been overlooked.
“My chances are coming soon and it is up to me to do
my work. Some other players might say they’ve been overlooked and I don’t
disagree with them. It is case by case situation and in my situation, I am only
22 and I think the guys that are called deserved to be called but my time is
coming soon. I have to keep my head down, keep working hard, and hopefully,
soon, I will get a call up”, he stated.
Boateng further stressed that one’s chances of
playing for his nation must not be linked to the league he plays in.
“People shouldn’t judge the player based on the
league he is playing in; rather, we have to look at what the player does when
he enters the field. Is he able to
change the game? Is he doing the job better than whoever you are trying to
call?
“The ideal situation should be how the player is
performing and how he will fit into the national team. This is how they should
judge it and I think so far, they’ve been doing a good job.
“Every player will like to be in the national team.
It is up to Avram Grant and his crew to make sure they call the right guys and
from where I see things, I think he is calling the guys that he thinks can help
the team”, Boateng indicated.
According to the young Ghanaian winger, his only
target for the season is to get more games and help LA Galaxy to the postseason.
“For this season with LA, it is definitely to get to
the championship games and then to win it. And for me personally, I am just
trying to improve every day, get more minutes and help the team any way that I
can. Also getting a few goals and creating assists and just impress every time
I get on the field”.
He said playing for LA Galaxy presents a rare
opportunity for him to learn from all the big stars like Steven Gerrard, Ashley
Cole and others and that their presence will motivate him to get to their level
as well.
“Those guys have already achieved great stuff in
their lives; the best way to look at it is the motivation that one will get
from these players. These are the guys that I have the great opportunity to
learn from every day, they’ve done it at the highest level and created
something magnificent for themselves.
“That is the level I want to be. I watch them every
day at training, try to study their game, ask them questions on how to improve
my own game and they’ve been great guys so far, trying to help everybody in the
team and they come together as a group and help each other so I think it is a
great opportunity that I get to play with them at a certain point of their
careers.
He also revealed that the huge presence of those top
stars was an initial concern to him but he concentrated more on the positives
of playing for such a big club than the negatives.
“It was a little bit of concern but the other aspect
is that it is a long season, there are international duties so I knew there
will be chances for me to play.
“I thought about all those big players but I also thought
it was going to be a great team to play for and learn from these guys and play
with them. For me it was all about settling in and playing together as a team
instead of thinking about myself alone. Obviously I have to look into how I can
get more games but I have to earn it so that is the challenge they have added
to it.
“They’ve all established something for themselves
that gives them an edge. It is great playing with them and hopefully, I will
keep getting better every day and earn myself a permanent start in the team “,
Boateng added.
But is Emmanuel Beateng aspiring to play in the top
European leagues one day?
“Those are the top leagues. I am only 22 and from
how I see everything, I can improve from here so that is a definite possibility
and that is something I think about but it will depend on me to put in more
work day in and day out to create more opportunity for myself.
“So when that time comes, we will know but is
definitely something that I am looking into. It is great playing here but
playing in the top leagues in Europe is also a different challenge that I will
want to try at some point of my career so we will see how things work out from
here”, he concluded.
Ghana Soccer US
