Emmanuel Boakye

Emmanuel Boakye
Personal information
Full nameEmmanuel Kwame Agyeman Boakye
Date of birth25 March 1985
Place of birthEjura, Ghana
Height1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Playing positionCentral midfielder
Club information
Current team
Åtvidabergs FF
Youth career
1993–1996Zuidvogels Huizen
1996–2000Utrecht
2000–2005Ajax
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2005–2007Ajax6(0)
2006–2007→ Heracles Almelo (loan)30(2)
2007–2009Heracles Almelo61(1)
2009–2012Sparta Rotterdam74(3)
2013–2014Mura 0510(0)
2014-Åtvidabergs FF
National team‡
2007Ghana U232(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 30 September 2012.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 30 May 2007

Emmanuel Kwame "Ymma" Agyeman Boakye (/bʊɑːˈtʃiː/ buuah-CHEE) (born 25 March 1985 in Ejura, Ghana) is a Ghanaian-Dutch professional footballer who currently plays for Swedish club Åtvidabergs FF,[1] having previously played for Dutch clubs Sparta Rotterdam, Heracles Almelo and Ajax, and Slovenian team ND Mura 05.

Club career

A strong, confident and aggressive attacking right wingback, with lots of speed and skill, Boakye moved to The Netherlands in 1993, and played for amateur side Zuidvogels (from the town of Huizen) as a child and moved to FC Utrecht youth as a teenager. Ajax scouts discovered him in 2000. The defender, who can play as a right fullback but also in the center of defense, joined the Ajax B1 youth team in 2000.

Boakye was first added to the Ajax-1 squad in the fall of 2005 by head-coach Danny Blind, as many Ajax defenders were injured or suspended at the time.[2] The youngster made his first team début on 24 September 2005 in the Eredivisie home game against Roda JC. In total, Emmanuel Boakye had six appearances for Ajax in the Eredivisie, plus another four in the post-season Eredivisie play-offs and one in the Dutch Cup competition.

Ajax offered the player a contract renewal in April 2006,[3][4] and the Ghanaian started the new season with the first squad, but at the end of the pre-season campaign Ajax and the player agreed that a transfer on loan would be best for his development.[5] Boakye was soon linked with two Eredivisie outfits. When Sparta Rotterdam lost interest the choice for Heracles Almelo was easily made.

On 10 August 2006, Ajax defender Boakye was loaned out to Eredivisie side Heracles Almelo[6] for the remainder of the 2006–2007 season, officially until 30 June 2007.[7] Ajax and Heracles agreed a one year loan deal, effective immediately. The Ghanaian defender extended his Ajax contract until 2008 in April 2006, but would not have seen much action in Amsterdam this season, with defenders such as Jaap Stam, Thomas Vermaelen, Johnny Heitinga and George Ogararu above him in Henk ten Cate's pecking order.

On 18 June 2007, Boakye made his loan move permanent, sealing a three-year deal with Heracles Almelo from rivals Ajax Amsterdam. He made 61 appearances whilst on loan at Heracles. "We are extremely happy that we could sign such a young and good defender for three years," Heracles Almelo director Nico Jan Hoogma said. "The competition for him was fierce but we nevertheless managed to do it."[8] Boakye opted for Almelo despite offers from Feyenoord, AZ Alkmaar and SC Heerenveen.[9][10]

In June 2009, Boakye signed for Sparta Rotterdam, but his first season with them was cut short through injury.

International career

Boakye holds both Ghanaian and Dutch citizenship.[11] He has opted to represent the national team of Ghana.[12]

On 19 January 2007, Boakye was called up by Ghana Olympic coach Jones Attuquayefio into the Ghana Olympic squad for a qualifying match against Burkina Faso's Olympic team in the qualification for the 2008 Summer Olympics.[13][14]

Major honors

Club

Ajax Amsterdam

References

  1. ↑ "Emmanuel Boakye har skrivit på". atvidabergsff.se. 10 August 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
  2. ↑ first selection, ajax.nl
  3. ↑ "New deal for Ajax Defender". skysports.com. 4 April 2006. Retrieved 4 April 2006.
  4. ↑ "Boakye pens new deal and joins first squad". ajax-usa.com. 3 April 2006. Retrieved 3 April 2006.
  5. ↑ contract renewal, ajax.nl
  6. ↑ "Boakye loaned out to Heracles for one season". ajax-usa.com. 10 August 2006. Retrieved 10 August 2006.
  7. ↑ "Boakye naar Heracles Almelo". ajax-usa.com. 9 August 2006. Retrieved 9 August 2006.
  8. ↑ "Boakye definitief naar Heracles". voetbalkrant.com. 19 June 2007. Retrieved 19 June 2007.
  9. ↑ "'Heerenveen meldt zich bij Ajax voor Boakye'". v-bal.nl. 7 June 2007. Retrieved 7 June 2007.
  10. ↑ "Heerenveen meldt zich voor Boakye". soccernews.nl. 7 June 2007. Retrieved 7 June 2007.
  11. ↑ "Emmanuel Boakye genaturaliseerd!". heracles.nl. 24 January 2007. Retrieved 24 January 2007.
  12. ↑ "Boakye: ‘Ik heb voor Ghana gekozen’". voetbalzone.com. 11 November 2006. Retrieved 11 November 2006.
  13. ↑ "Players called up for Olympic duty". ghanafa.com. 19 January 2007. Retrieved 19 January 2007.
  14. ↑ "28 called up for Black Meteors". ghanaweb.com. 20 January 2007. Retrieved 20 January 2007.