FORMER BLACK Stars Captain Stephen Appiah is still making Ghana proud in Turkey where he once plied his trade.
The box-to-box midfielder’s name is still on the lips of soccer fans in Turkey almost five years after he left the Eastern European country.
The ex-Ghana international’s popularity in Turkey now is so huge, making one wonder if he is still playing active football in Turkey.
Appiah’s name could be heard being mentioned by Turks at the various stadiums where the 2013 FIFA U20 World Cup is taking place.
The Turks insists that the ex-Ghana skipper is the best Ghanaian footballer ever to play professional football in their country.
Other Turks also believe that Appiah is the all-time best African player to grace their Premier League.
Appiah signed for Turkish giants Fenerbahce in the 2005 season and stayed at the club until 2008.
Appiah also won several laurels with Fenerbahce, cementing his name as one of the greats in the history books of Turkey football.
Most of Turkey nationals that spoke to DAILY GUIDE SPORTS during the paper’s visit to Istanbul said Appiah is by far the best ever Ghanaian
footballer to play in Turkey.
The response was similar when the paper visited Kayseri, another province of Turkey, to sample views of Turkish soccer fans about who is the best
Ghanaian player ever to feature in their league.
Ghanaian soccer stars such as Richard Kingson, Haminu Draman, Eben Dugbartey, Augustine Arhinful, Sam Johnson and Kwame Ayew, among others, once played in the Turkish league.
Though this array of stars impressed during their stay in Turkey, the fans revealed Appiah was exceptional.
Be it at the stadia, restaurants, streets, buses, trains or any place that you can think of, any Turkish football fan that you meet would mention the name of Appiah if he realizes that you are a Ghanaian.
In a related development, Ghanaians domiciling in Turkey are also showering praises on Appiah whom they described as a compassionate person.
These Ghanaians, who have stayed in Turkey for several years, recounted how Appiah supported the Ghanaian community in Turkey both in cash and in kind.
Madam Gifty popularly called ‘Mummy’ who stays at Istanbul said Appiah freely gave money almost every month to the Ghanaians who lost their jobs and were cash trapped. “There is no one like him. He was a God-send person and I pray that God will forever bless him,” said Gifty.
Madam Gifty said Jerry Akaminko who is currently plying his trade in Turkey is following the footsteps of Appiah by supporting the Ghanaian community in Turkey.
Source: I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kayseri, Turkey
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