While the ‘Wafu Four’ came as a package deal, Free State Stars’ fifth foreign recruit, Daniel Agbagwu took a different route to Bethlehem- by Carlo Jonkerman to Kick-off magazine.
“We have been alerted to him through our scouts…he spent three weeks on trial with us”, confirms Stars’ GM Rantsi Mokoena. “He impressed our coach and had played in Spain at some stage. He hasn’t quit settled yet [one league appearance], but also has not disappointed us”.
Like his compatriot Gege, Agbagwa is a ‘big unit’ measuring 1.85m and weighing in at 82kg.
The 22-year old striker grew up in bustling Lago and spent his formative years at FC Bolowotan befor turning professional at Eko United. Then followed a stint at Spanish third-tier club CD Atletico Baleares.
He was considered for the Nigeria Under -23 team for the final Olympic Games qualifying tournament in December, but not picked in the final squad. He says of his move to ‘Ea Lla Koto’:
“I would like to show my best at Stars as they have shown belief in my talent. If all goes well, I would like to do so well that I rise steadily until I turn out for either Manchester United or Barcelona”.
The club’s general manager stresses that they had no qualms about signing the first Togolese players to feature in the PSL. “If you look at Togo they have Emmanuel Adebayor, but apart from that their football has grown tremendously. The National team qualified for the 2006 World Cup and has done well in previous Nations Cups.
Also they are close to Ghana so they are exposed to good football”, Mokoena says. “And the players we’ve recruited are all national team regulars, so we had no worries about them coming to South Africa because they are experienced and travelling out-side of Togo.”
Just as Akoriko stand head and shoulders above his teammates, so too does Soriola Gege, the fourth man scouted by ‘Ea Lla Koto’ at the Wafu Nations Cup. Gege, from Jos in central Nigeria, has formed an imposing defensive partnership with Akoriko. This is ironic considering both were sent off as Togo beat Nigeria 3-2 in the Wafu final!
Their success means a favourite from last season; Ayanda Gcaba has had to shift to left-back. In an interview with Kick-Off’s website, Gcaba had nothing but praise for the Nigerian: “he’s brought stability to our defence.
He’s big and strong, good in the air too. So far so good I think. He might not be as good on the ball as he is in the air and in the physical battle, but he has coped well so far”.
But, while strikers have batted to past Gege’s 1.87m frame, he was laid low by something as minor as a broken middle finger suffered against Santos on December 3. The subsequent operation kept him out for six weeks, and he even told his club’s website that “if it was not for the doctor’s orders, I would have insisted to play”.
That just about sums up Steve Komphela’s foreign recruits: determined, strong, youthful and ambitious. No wonder Stars has made such a strong start to the season.