It is every Ghanaian player’s dream to play to the highest at club level and for country but how that dream is realized should come with hard work and a bit of luck to accompany. Footballers earn huge bucks at club level but what they savour the most is when they place a palm on the chest during a rendition of their nation’s anthem at a stage like the Africa Cup of Nations and the FIFA World Cup.
The dream becomes more worthwhile especially when it arrives “real quick” and at a time one fully deserves the chance to represent his country at bigger tournaments. This piece is a recollection of a first time meeting with Black Stars and Clermont Foot defender, Seidu Alidu and reporter, Adamu Muftawu of Africa-foot.com and Radio Gold.
Alidu, 22, was then not and had not been a household name in Ghana football but meeting the ebony black defender for the first time, there was a discernment of grit, determination and purpose on the forehead of the devout Muslim.
Alidu was flanked by a brother and an uncle when we were introduced to each other by football player manager, Easyman Nevis at his (Easyman’s) Town Council Line (a suburb of Accra) residence.
Having spent hours chatting after the short introduction, I got to know that he plies his trade in a country whose language and football I have fallen in love with for years, France.
That notwithstanding, I decided from then on to start following the burgeoning career of the young player who actually started as a midfielder on grassless pitches in the Ashanti region, Kumasi.
I caught up with Seidu Alidu and below are his comments when he was preparing against Haut Lyonnais in the French Ligue 2 in 2020.
“I have confidence of winning because this week the training has been very intensive and all my team mate are all serious and focused for the coming match.”
“Physically we are working very hard towards the match and I know if we continue we can win the match.” He told Adamu Muftawu.

The trio played major roles in the club’s historic first time Lige 1 promotion, having achieved the feat after finishing second in the 2020–21 edition of the Ligue 2.
Salis and Alidu have since risen to a level that could be describe as satisfactory with Seidu Alidu extending his stay for four more years with Clermont, Salis Abdul Samed switching camp to Lens in a 5-year-deal reported to be in the region of 5 million Euros whereas life has taken Anoff Blankson to Southern part of Luxembourg with FC Swift.

