Baba Asante

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15 May 2033
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Marked for Baba Asante

353 Edition

The Liberty Professionals Chronicle

2 May 2033
From our football correspondent Upbeat

Squad2 May 2033

Wisdom Acquah breaks a bone — 121 days out

Brutal, unambiguous and, for all the horror of the moment, usually less career-shaped than the ligament everybody fears more. 121 days, a clean timeline, and a return date somebody can actually plan around.

Squad2 May 2033

Jonathan Amoah named in the team of the month

A month is long enough that nobody gets in by accident. Jonathan Amoah is in the division's best eleven for it, which is a quieter compliment than an award and a more reliable one.

The dugout2 May 2033

When it matters, Jeffrey Ofori plays

It is never announced and it is entirely visible: the biggest afternoons of the season keep containing him. A press box works this out long before anybody at the club confirms a word of it.

Market2 May 2033

The Albert Schlupp talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Liberty Professionals know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

The dugout2 May 2033

Baba Asante knocks on the manager's door

“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Liberty Professionals, and both men came out saying it was fine.

Market2 May 2033

The clock does Warona Medupe’s negotiating for him

4 months left, and both sides know what that means: every week without a signature, the fee Liberty Professionals could ask drops and the wages Warona Medupe can ask rise.

The dugout2 May 2033

The manager makes Gladson Mohammed a promise

Nothing in writing and nothing in public: a word about playing time, given face to face at Liberty Professionals. The team sheets over the next month will show whether it was worth having.

Boardroom2 May 2033

The Liberty Professionals production line keeps running

67 graduates out of an academy now rated 7 out of 20. Clubs this size survive on exactly that, and the town knows every name.

Squad2 May 2033

Jonathan Amoah in the team of the week — 7.37

7.37 across the ninety minutes, and a place in the division’s best eleven for it. Nobody who saw the match will argue.

In brief

Back issues
343 Edition

The Liberty Professionals Chronicle

21 Feb 2033
From our football correspondent Upbeat

The terraces21 Feb 2033

One of their own: Baba Asante

He is 17 and the ground already sings his name, which is a thing that happens to local boys and almost never to signings. Everything from here is measured against an affection he did nothing to earn except be from here.

Match19 Feb 2033

Yiriyon Gideon the difference as Liberty Professionals beat WAFA

Ask anyone on the way out what separated the sides and you will get one name: Yiriyon Gideon. 2‑0 against WAFA, and the applause at the whistle was mostly his.

Match19 Feb 2033

Nobody wins at Liberty Professionals

8 home matches unbeaten. Visiting sides arrive already talking about the atmosphere, which is usually the sign that they have half-lost before kickoff.

Player ratings21 Feb 2033

Both jobs done by Jonathan Amoah — 7.31

A midfielder is measured on whether the team functions when he is on the pitch, which is nearly impossible to see and completely obvious in retrospect. 11 actions, 7.31, and a manager who will not be substituting him again in a hurry.

Player ratings21 Feb 2033

One of those days for Yiriyon Gideon

There is a version of this player everybody suspected was in there, and on this evidence it is. 8.26, and no argument anywhere in the ground.

Player ratings21 Feb 2033

Xavier Jodamus was on a different afternoon to everybody else

8.13. There are performances a supporter describes to somebody who was not there and cannot quite convey; this was one, and the number does not help either.

The dugout21 Feb 2033

The view from the dugout

“We controlled it. There were spells I did not like and we will look at them, but the group showed me something.” Isaac Wakaso, on a 2‑0 win that he was already picking apart on the walk to the press room.

The dugout21 Feb 2033

Jonathan Amoah gets picked when it counts

Every manager keeps a short list in his head of the men he wants on the pitch when the stakes rise, and it is never published. The team sheets for the big afternoons say Jonathan Amoah is on it.

The dugout21 Feb 2033

The manager makes an example of Gladson Mohammed

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

In brief

330 Edition

The Liberty Professionals Chronicle

22 Nov 2032
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad22 Nov 2032

A one-man rearguard from Albert Schlupp

There were 7 saves in it, and at least three that had no business being saves at all. The ten outfield players owe him a drink and they know it.

The dugout22 Nov 2032

Osman Mensah frozen out at Liberty Professionals

This is not rotation. Osman Mensah has not been in the manager's plans for some time, and nobody at Liberty Professionals is pretending otherwise.

Player ratings22 Nov 2032

Yiriyon Gideon runs at them all day

Successful dribbles: 15. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.

Match20 Nov 2032

Liberty Professionals share the spoils with BA All Stars

A 1‑1 draw with BA All Stars leaves the dressing room somewhere between relief and regret.

The dugout22 Nov 2032

Isaac Wakaso: “We have to be better”

“It is not the end of the world and it is not good enough. Both of those are true.” The manager, after a 1‑1 draw, said the honest thing and then went to say it again inside.

The dugout22 Nov 2032

Zane Schreiber asks for a word with the manager

“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.

The dugout22 Nov 2032

Liberty Professionals pick somebody else ahead of Warona Medupe

There is no complaint available here and everybody involved knows it, which does not make the walk to the bench any shorter. Form is the only currency in football that cannot be borrowed against.

Market22 Nov 2032

Xavier Jodamus linked with a move away

The name of Xavier Jodamus keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Liberty Professionals say nothing, which says plenty.

Squad22 Nov 2032

The first one for Baba Asante

Every signing waits for it and every press conference asks about it until it comes. It has come, Liberty Professionals have their man off the mark, and the second one is always easier.

In brief