WHO IS JUNIOR AGOGO?

Yaw Ampofo-Ankrah has been monitoring the progess of Ghanaian footballers all over the world. And recently caught up with one of the players he first recommended to former coach Dujkovic for the World Cup Finals in June.

Although he did not get into the squad,it is fair to say that Black Stars newly discovered striker Junior Agogo has something special to offer. Timing is everything and although he missed the world cup finals in Germany (now widely considered as a football injustice) Most football observers agree that Manuel 'Junior' Agogo's time will surely come.

Nobody should be surprised if by 2008 Agogo becomes a household name in Africa and the world. But not much is known about the laid back and easy going Agogo, other than he is now the official 'Mr Cool' in the Black Stars camp.

In May 2006, Junior was called up by former coach coach Ratomir Dujkovic for Ghana's friendly against French league side Nice; Doya later told me that Agogo should have gone to Germany!

Yet at the time, he did not want to take the risk after seeeing him play just once in France. It came as no surprise therefore that new coach Claude Leroy recalled Agogo to the squad for the East Asia tour in which he faced Japan and South Korea.

For a player who is a new kid on the team block, he has blended in so well and settled down that he is not considered as an outsider.

So where did Junior Agogo come from.Just over a decade ago,Agogo started his career at Sheffield Wednesday. But only made two league appearances for the club in 1995..

It had nothing to do with lack of quality; instead, off field distractions and the usual adjustments young players have to make in the professional trade got the better of him.

During the 1999/2000 season he had loan spells at the following clubs: Oldham Athletic, Chester City, Chesterfield, and Lincoln City. Unsettled? Yes.

Quite clearly Agogo was looking for where his heart and mind would feel at ease to allow him perform at his peak. His time at Sheffield Wednesday came to a close.

So after Sheffield Wednesday Agogo moved to the United States to play for the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer in 2000.

He then joined the Colorado Rapids after playing just one match in Chicago.

The journey continued and Agogo was traded from Colorado to the San Jose Earthquakes in June 2001.

He played with the Earthquakes for the rest of the 2001 championship season before he returned to England this time for Queens Park Rangers .

Next for Agogo was conference side Barnet where he managed to score 19 goals for the club.

Agogo was not done yet and was soon on the move again. In the summer of 2003 he joined Football League Two side Bristol Rovers he played the 1st 13 games in his 1st season.

An injury meant Agogo had to undergo an operation which kept him out for the next two months

Ago was to bounce back in a big way and he finished the 2003/04 season scoring 22 goals in all competitions.

At last it appeared that the striking potential of Agogo was begining to manifest.In the 2005/06 season Junior made 44 appearances, scoring 18 goals in all competitions.

The big clubs were keeping a close watch on Agogo and he moved to Football League One side Nottingham Forest from Bristol Rovers on August 30, 2006.

Once Agogo had scored his first goal for Forest on the 30th of September against Swansea City,his second and third goals were soon to follow against Yeading FC in the English FA Cup (the final score was 5-0 to Forest).

Despite Agogo not scoring regulaly, his distribution and team play has been brilliant and says he is happy to be the set up rather than the finisher if need be.

On November 14 2006, Junior scored his first goal for Ghana with the equalizing goal in an international friendly match against Australia.

Ghana drew 1-1 with Australia in the match played at Loftus Road Stadium in England....surely there are lots more goals to follow for Manuel Junior Agogo.