The unknown brother of Abedi Pele talks to Kojo Frempong about his own football career and growing up with his brothers.
It’s a relatively cool Saturday, in East Legon, a plush residential area in Accra. Around one of the famous junctions of the area for the rich and affluent in Ghana, called American House, is parked a charcoal black Mercedes Benz M Class. Its occupant smiles as people greet and pass him bye. They don’t know him. They only greet out of courtesy and he returns their respect. Warm, pleasant and respectful. That’s what his friends say about him. His brothers know him for his talent which never really came to light. They also think he is an extension to the family business, A business which is the source of pride, fame and most of all wealth, Yet he is not wealthy. He is also not famous. But he is proud of the family name. He is an Ayew, Kofi Ayew. The unknown kid brother of African football maestro Abedi Ayew Pele and former Ghanaian International Kwame Ayew.
Football is the family business of the Ayews and Kofi was expected to continue in the footsteps of his senior brothers, Abedi Pele and Kwame Ayew. “It did not work out,” he says, “I hate making excuses but I think I have not been lucky with Injuries. Every time I speak and my career is ready to take off, something happens. I don’t understand but I give it to God.
God is an integral part of the Ayew family business, though there is a point of difference, Abedi Ayew Pele, the maestro is a Muslim while Kofi and Kwame Ayew are Christians “We were not born Muslims. Abedi converted to Islam, We became Christians, either way God is very important to the whole family. Because he picked us from nowhere and has done great things for us. You should have seen where we were born in Dome, suburb of Accra. We had nothing but my father encouraged all of us to go to school. God however determined that they will be great footballers. So he made them. That’s the work of God, Kofi preached to All Sports.
In 1993, while Abedi Ayew Pele was picking up his second successive African Footballer of the year award, his kid brother footballer was trying out for the national Under 17 team, the Black Starlets. His handlers knew a new Pele was about to hit the limelight at the junior level. Unfortunately for Kofi Ayew, he twisted his ankle and was left out of the team for Japan 1993. With the world dream gone, he embraced the less glamorous leagues of football Including a six month stint in Malaysia but a fruitful stay in Italy for third and second division side Nuova Nardo Calcio. But nothing
in the big time, really. In Italy and wherever he played, the expectations were huge.
“As Abedi’s brother, everybody wanted to give me a chance to show what I could do. It was not difficult but it was challenging. I passed the test well. I always wanted to be different from them. People gave me the benefit of the doubt and I showed them that I had some great football in me as well.” As if the outside expectations were not
enough, he had to contend with the expectations of the maestro. The big brother. But that he says was no problem. Abedi never wanted us to disgrace him anytime we played and wherever we played. Even when practicing in a friendly game he wants you to be aggressive. He wants you to give your all. He is 100% In everything he does. He inspires me with that attitude both on and off the pitch. Did I feel pressure to be like him? No, not at all. I am a bit like Kwame because I am a striker.
The unknown Ayew hopes to make it big time
I have Abedi’s ability to hold on to the ball. People ask me even when I play in Ghana why I am not playing top level football. Maybe one day in the future I can still show my skills to the nation.
That one day could come sooner than later. Kofi Ayew, 26 years old, holds a degree in business administration and ICT from the Virginia Commonwealth University in America. In his final year at the University, Dallas Metro Stars, a team in Major League Soccer, (America’s version of the premiership) draft-picked him. But with two weeks to the end of the college soccer season, he injured his left knee again.
Now I’m in Ghana making sure my leg heals. I don’t want to rush. I want to take my time. I believe I have about five years of football In me. I can still play when it heals. I have been in constant touch with my coach in America and some other agents around the world. I am sure I can still play play football”
With his business degree from America, Kofi Ayew knows he is well positioned to prospect into new areas of football business. Surprisingly, he is thinking less and less about it. Rather his energies are diverted into his own mobile phone shop and an upcoming stationary and publishing shop.
I Just want to grow the business as my plan B. If the business grows a bit, I will concentrate more on my football. I don’t want to be a football agent. It’s too stressful. But who knows? I would still be involved in football when my career ends. For now though I want to go back onto the field. I know I can play or you don’t think so?” He rhetorically asks.
That’s another aspect of Kofi Ayew which albeit is not lost on anybody he comes into contact with. Behind the smiles and “fine boy” features is a deeply thinking analytical youngman, with the ability to hold conversations from football to world politics, through religion to hip hop and basketball. He is an academic who also likes football.
“Listen,” he says, “I always liked to go to school. When I got injured first I said well since I can’t play, let me get myself a degree and while getting it I started to play again. My father would always tell us to go to school and today it’s benefited all of us. My sisters, Kwame and Abedi Pele himself. School has been good to us” But in the Ayew family setup, there is no denying what has been the greatest asset. It is not school, It is Football.