Anthony Annan

Anthony Annan

Anthony Annan with Schalke 04 in 2011

Anthony Annan playing for Schalke 04 in 2011
Personal information
Full name Anthony Gildas Kofi Annan
Date of birth (1986-07-21) 21 July 1986
Place of birth Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 HJK
Youth career
1998–2000 Super Rainbow Stars
2000–2001 Venomous Vipers
2002 S.C. Adelaide
2003 Sekondi Wise Fighters
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2005 Sekondi Hasaacas
2005–2007 Hearts of Oak
2007–2008 Start 11 (0)
2008 → Stabæk (loan) 12 (0)
2008–2011 Rosenborg 57 (1)
2011–2014 Schalke 04 12 (0)
2011–2012 → Vitesse Arnhem (loan) 21 (0)
2012–2013 → Osasuna (loan) 6 (0)
2014 HJK 7 (0)
2015 1860 Munich 3 (0)
2015 Stabæk 7 (0)
2016– HJK 15 (0)
Total 151 (1)
National team‡
2007– Ghana[1] 67 (2)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 24 October 2016.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 20 January 2013

Anthony Gildas Kofi Annan (born 21 July 1986 in Accra) is a Ghanaian international footballer currently playing for HJK.

Club career

Playing in Ghana

Anthony Annan began playing football with a local colts Super Rainbow Stars in Cape Coast, Ghana. He also played for Cape Coast Venomous Vipers in the Ghanaian Division one league before joined Sekondi Hasaacas in 2003 and later moved to Accra Hearts of oak in 2005. At Accra Hearts of Oak, Annan was regarded as the best young midfielder in Ghana. He combined midfield artistry with some goal scoring skills, and endeared himself to many football fans in Ghana. Anthony Annan joined Accra Hearts of Oak from Sekondi Hasaacas FC in the 2005–06 league season.

Transfer to Norway

He signed for the Norwegian club I.K. Start in January 2007, after a very promising career in Ghana with his local club Accra Hearts of Oak.[2] He quickly established himself as a first team regular during I.K. Start's preseason games, and showed skills both on and off the ball. Unfortunately he was plagued by injury and illness during the first part of the 2007 season, and did not gain trust from then head coach Benny Lennartson in the important final games to avoid relegation.

After Start got relegated during the 2007 season, he joined Stabæk on loan until August 2008. He had been playing well in the heart of midfield as Stabæk went unbeaten in an impressive opening half of the season. Stabæk hinted that they want to buy him from Start, but Start stated that they would have to pay a "European transfer-fee". Instead, Annan claimed that several "big" clubs had approached his agent and that he would leave Norway during the summer.

On 1 August 2008, it was revealed that Annan would be travelling to England for a trial with Blackburn Rovers. After impressing Paul Ince and the Blackburn coaching staff immensely, while on trial, he was sent back to his club to play in one more competitive game where the Blackburn Rovers scouts were to watch and report back on whether or not to complete the signing.

On 31 August 2008, he was presented for the audience on Lerkendal as a Rosenborg player before the match against Vålerenga. Rosenborg paid £1.2 million to get him from Start. (Rosenborg won the game against Vålerenga 2–1). He made his league debut for Rosenborg on 14 September 2008 against Fredrikstad, with the game ending 1–1.

Transfer to Germany

After four years in Norway, Annan left Rosenborg to join FC Schalke 04.[3]

During the winter break of the 2014/15 season Annan signed a contract with German club 1860 Munich.[4] His contract was not extended after the season.

HJK

On 5 February 2016, Annan returned to HJK. His contract is till the end of season 2018.[5] Annan made his Veikkausliiga return on 10 July 2016 against PS Kemi, after being out of action for several months due to an undisclosed injury.[6]

International career

Anthony Annan playing for Ghana at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final victory match against Nigeria.

A Junior and Olympic International for Ghana, Annan received his first senior call up for the national team on 20 March 2007 as a direct injury replacement for Essien for Ghana's FIFA International friendlies against Austria and Brazil in 2007.[7] His first cap came against Brazil on 27 March 2007 at the Råsunda Stadium, Stockholm, Sweden when Ghana lost 0–1.[8] He made his first goal for the national team in the 2–2 draw against Mali 15 November 2009.[9] He played for Ghana at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

International appearances

International goals

Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 15 November 2009 Baba Yara Stadium, Kumasi, Ghana Mali Mali 2 – 2 2–2 2010 World Cup qualification
2. 8 September 2012 Ohene Djan Stadium, Accra, Ghana Malawi Malawi 2 – 0 2–0 2013 African Cup of Nations qualifier

Personal life

Family

Annan claims to be related to Ghanaian diplomat and former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, although this has been denied by a spokesperson working for Kofi Annan.[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]

Annan's mother, Sophia Sampson, died in Cape Coast on 2 February 2012 after a short illness. This was while he was playing for Ghana in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.[19]

Honours

Club

Stabæk
Rosenborg BK
Schalke 04
HJK Helsinki

International

Ghana

References

  1. 1 2 "Annan, Anthony". National Football Teams. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
  2. ↑ Slot, Owen (19 January 2008). "Freedom of expression must stay as much as the quality". The Times. London. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
  3. ↑ "Glad på Anthonys vegne" [Glad on Anthony's behalf]. official website (in Norwegian). Rosenborg BK. 28 January 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2011.
  4. ↑ "Annan verstärkt die Löwen" [Annan joins the lions]. official website (in German). 1860 Munich. 26 January 2015. Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  5. ↑ "HJK:LLE KOVAN LUOKAN PALUUMUUTTAJA!". www.hjk.fi/ (in Finnish). HJK. 5 February 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  6. ↑ "HJK kaatoi Kemin kauden parhaalla pelillään – maalipuut kolisivat viidesti". www.hs.fi/ (in Finnish). Helsingin Sanomat. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  7. ↑ "Fresh call-ups for Ghana". Official Website. Ghana Football Association. 21 March 2007. Retrieved 21 March 2007.
  8. ↑ "Stars fall to Love strike". Official Website. Ghana Football Association. 27 March 2007. Retrieved 29 March 2007. Ghana coach, Claude Le Roy had the opportunity to try out four uncapped players as he handed Anthony Annan a place in the starting line up in his debut game for the Black Stars.
  9. ↑ "Ghana draw with Mali". BBC. 16 November 2009.
  10. ↑ Clark Whitney (January 28, 2011). "Official: Rosenborg Confirm Sale Of Anthony Annan To Schalke". goal.com. Goal.com. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Annan er ein annan Annan" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  12. ↑ "Annan-møte avlyst" (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  13. ↑ "Må være en Annan onkel?" (in Norwegian). Fædrelandsvennen. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  14. ↑ "-Kofi er onkel i Ghana" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  15. ↑ "-Anthony er i slekt med Kofi Annan" (in Norwegian). Dagbladet. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  16. ↑ "Han er ikke Kofi Annans nevø" (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  17. ↑ "Full strid om "onkel Annan"" (in Norwegian). Nettavisen. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  18. ↑ "- Ville invitere Kofi hjem til oss" (in Norwegian). Dagbladet. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  19. ↑ "President Mills sends condolences to Annan". Ghana Home Page. 2012-02-04. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
  20. ↑ "Blandede følelser for Anthony Annan" (in Norwegian). Fotballadressa. 23 October 2008. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  21. ↑ "Mestvinnende spillere" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2 November 2010.
  22. ↑ "Anthony Annan" (in German). fussballdaten.de. Retrieved 4 May 2014.

External links

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