Snake Eye

The randomness of randomness have returned and aren't we all excited. Well I know I am and you should be as well. I will tell you why, all the best stuff in life is completely random and unpredictable. Okay think about the woman who was just minding her own business and then out of the blue her boyfriend asked for her hand in marriage. Or the hapless loser that is down on his luck and plays the lottery for the first time and strikes it rich. That is the joy randomness can bring but with most things it can go both ways. For every lucky sap there is an unfortunate soul. For example picture the guy just walking down the street and is attacked by a pack of runaway pitbulls who have not eaten in six days. Poor soul indeed. Fear not though Snake Eye only sounds violent but in truth is as harmless as a basket full of extra soft baby towels.Well maybe the basket can hurt you not the towels though I doubt. If you don't know how we arrived at this point well I shall tell you. When selecting a player for Snake Eye, I break out the PS3, drop the FIFA 2009 in the system and hit the random button and BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM. There we have our star player to showcase. Why this way?, well for one thing I it gives me a chance to see players that I am not familiar with which are a lot and gives them their time in the sun. So with no hesitation and loads of anticipation I bring the snake nation.

Name: Stephen Appiah
Nickname: Tornado
D/O/B: 12/24/1980 (age 28)
Place of Birth: Accra, Ghana
Position: Midfielder (Central Midfielder)
Preferred Foot: None
Height:5'10 ft/inches
Weight:170 lbs
National Team: Ghana
Caps: 53
Club Teams: Hearts Of Oak (1995-97), Udinese Calcio (1997-2000), Parma (2000-03), Brescia (2002-03) (loan), Juventus (2003-05), Fenerbache (2005-08)




Finally an African player on the blog, I was kind of getting worried that the site was packed with Europeans and South Americans.Nothing is wrong with that but it is time for some parity. The African continent have bred a special kind of player, bull like and powerful. Could it be down to the anatomy I have no doubt but people say the African player is not the thinking man's football, all brawn if you will. I say tell that to men like George Weah, Didier Drogba,Samuel Eto'o, Benni McCarthy and Steven Pienaar. The specimen on offer is of all their ilk and more. The African player is truly a champion of all having to deal with what has to be said the cross of poverty to bear. I being a colored man, obviously I am green, am really proud of any African player who made a name for himself and this man receives my full praise.
Stephen Appiah was born in the Ghanaian capital of Accra in the good year of 1980 on the 24th of December. Christmas Eve nice one. Stephen Appiah is one of Africa's brightest exports but with all exports they have to be grown locally and grow he did. He started to sprout with Hearts Of Oak as a boy in 1995. Before I move on just want say really am feeling the name of that club, I thought Blyth Spartans was the coolest thing since Swat Cats but Hearts of Oak is pretty top notch but enough of my tripe. The footballer nicknamed the "Tornado," because of his dominance in midfield spent two years with Oak playing 21 times and hitting the net 9 times. This form saw Appiah destine to a move north to Europe and in 1997 Udinese Calcio planted the young oak in their midfield. Appiah was truly a pro now and Italy is where he sought his fortune. Udinese received three years of Stephen's life and he played 36 times for the club but one could say he never really got going with the side so he had to go and go he went to Parma in 2000. Parma only in recent years have started to decline but back in the day they were something to see. Their financial instability basically their undoing put in Appiah's time they were very much a force. He spent three years with Parma, years again he found with limited playing time, in all he only amassed 29 appearances with the club but he did win them a Coppa Italia which is a nice bonus. A loan deal was panned out with fellow Italian side Brescia in 2002 a deal that lasted one year. In that one year he managed to play more games for Brescia than he was able in his tenure at Parma. At Brescia he started to play with more purpose and started to slowly creep up into the elite bracket. Since it was a loan the Ghanaian had to return to his parent club Parma but such a robust performance by him say him attract the interest of Italian super club Juventus and another loan deal was struck this time with an option to buy. This where the Tornado had touched down. In 2003 was a monster year for the man it began his somewhat domination of "the Boot,"(referred to as the Italian peninsula) four titles in just two odd years makes fantastic reading and writing. Barely with his feet wet in Turin Stephen found himself an Italian Super Cup winner in his first year. Then back to back Serie A titles with Juventus in 2005 and 2006 followed, stardom could be the only thing that can describes Appiah's status at his time with the Old Lady of Italian football. Sounds like a dream dipped in sprinkles, I know but with all dreams there is the odd nightmare, Stephen's came in the form of Manuele Blasi. Blasi ousted The Ghanaian from his natural position in the center of the park and kept him out. The Tornado had become no more than a gentle breeze in the eyes of the Old Lady and in 2006 he was sent to ply his trade else where. The else where was referring to Fenerbache the Turkish club. That is right our African lion was in the land of the whirling Dervish, google that my friends.I don't know what is with this dude but success seems to be his opium and why not it is a drug and I could really use some but the story not about me it is about Stevo. He joined Fenerbache and immediately titles rained in 2007, he was a Turkish League winner and he snagged the Turkish cup as well the same year. Sadly so far this is where his club career has ended because of a reoccurring injury of the knee this has seen Stephen's club career put on hold. Fenerbache SK severed their ties with the Ghanaian thus Appiah has had to scoot on over to the unemployment line. His injury has hampered him since and club teams have asked questions, teams like Tottenham Hotspur and FC Rubin Kazan of Russia but his injury have made him unable to secure a contract but despite this he is still a staple for his national team.
The captain from the capital is how I can describe this ox of a man. The opium of success was apparent from his early days even in youth football. Internationally he has been absolutely outstanding. In 1995 he won the Under 15 FIFA Championship with his homeland and from then made tremendous strides to be the leader he is today in the Ghanaian set up. He made his full senior debut for the "Black Stars," in 1996 since then he has gained 53 caps and scored 13 times. He is the captain now being in front of the likes of Asamoah Gyan, Michael Essien and Sulleyman Ali Muntari is not easy but with the trio one senses they don't have leadership skills to drive a team foward. Stephen on the other hand does and needs to take most accolades for the way Ghana has played over the years, his robust style drives the team forward and has made Ghana a new force in African football.
What is there not to like he is a model and he has a nanny goat beard. With that combo you are already a winner, oh yeah and he is a very good player as well. The facts I have laid out in front of thee can only back me up, he has had a glut of success in what I think is a very short space of time. This is testament to his natural abilities, what is however worrying is this nasty injury he has that has affected his game, fitness and more importantly his career. He and I are very much a like right now, colored and unemployed. The Tornado has lost its speed and power and when its done that it's no more than a slight breeze coming from a little girl blowing bubbles through a stick. I could poke fun at him and say things like how long is the line for unemployment but I won't he does not deserve that but what I will suggest that he sort his fitness and this injury out if it can be. He is to good to be on the side lines. One more thing in the spirit of pure randomness I bring to you random Street Fighter quote this time brought to by my man Dhalsim here we go. "Cultivate A Pure Heart." Nice one that.
Reptile