It is strange that with all the superlatives being showered on Inter Milan manager  Jose Mourinho by the international media, not much attention is being given to the fine record by Cameroonian super star  Samuel Etoo who has won the Champions league with  two different  clubs  in two successive years.

It is true that Mourinho’s achievement in leading Inter Milan to be the first Italian club to win the elusive treble is first class. Indeed, Inter’s classic 3-1 win over Barcelona in the semi final and the 2-0 win against Bayern Munich in the final have made nonsense the notion that Mourinho is a defensive tactician. He is superb reader of the game who can make opponents look like robots.

Despite all these encomiums about Mourinho, I submit that E’too deserves honourable mention for playing vital roles in Barcelona’s European triumph in 2009 and Inter Milan’s success in 2010. On both occasions, the winning European champions had completed the double at home.  And both finals ended in 2-0 wins for E’too’s side. Can you beat that?

Don’t forget that in 2009, Barcelona beat Manchester United 2-0 to win the Cup and in 2010 Inter Milan have beaten Bayern Munich 2-0. E’too scored the first goal in the match against Manchester United and against Bayern he supplied the ammunition with which Diego Milito got the killer goal for Inter.

E’too is definitely a shining example for African footballers that with hard work and dedication one can remain in top shape for a long time. He is really an inspiration and Cameroun has got a wonderful gem who will be a thrill to watch in the World Cup in South Africa.

I have already predicted that with surprises galore and records falling like nine pins in various competitions worldwide they could be signs of things to come and the 2010 World Cup could spring one of the biggest surprises in history.

England has had its fair share of records this season as Chelsea won the double for the first time in the club’s history and Blackpool earned Premiership status also for the first time. Bayern continued to dominate in Germany, ditto Barcelona in Spain and of course Inter Milan in Italy.

In my country Ghana, a relatively unknown club Aduana Stars from Dormaa Ahenkro in the Brong Ahafo region made history by winning the Premiership on their debut to halt the duopoly by Kumasi Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak  who between them have won the 52 year old competition 41 times. Incidentally, no player from either Kotoko or Hearts merited selection for the World Cup in South Africa Aduana Stars goalkeeper Stephen Adams is among the provisional list announced by Coach Milovan Rajevac.

It may interest readers to note that for the first time in history the Brong Ahafo region will provide four teams for the next premier league season. Brong Ahafo Stars will be the latest addition to Aduana Stars, Bechem Chelsea and Berekum Arsenal.  You may not be too enthused with the foreign names adopted by some of these clubs but the fact remains that the pendulum of football supremacy is fast shifting to the Brong Ahafo region which should excite the great pioneering work by stalwarts like Agyeman Gyau, Adansi Fofie, Kwasi Owusu, Dan Owusu, Enoch Asumadu and the others.

Cheers everybody and keep loving sports.

FROM MY ARCHIVES

May 24th 1994: Brazil central defender Mozer will miss the World Cup finals in Germany because of medical problem.