The name Christopher Ennin may not ring a bell within the Ghanaian soccer circles but this is a Ghanaian coach whose exploits as the head coach of Denver Sundown Football Club, a Swazi soccer club based in Manzini, Swaziland has seen his team, moved from relegation zone to move up to the 6th position on the 14-team league table.

Prior to his appointment as the head coach of Denver Sundown, Coach Ennin as he is affectionately referred to by his players, had coached some teams in the Thailand notably among them being Sakkaeo FC (Division 2), Rayong FC, Kampang Phet FC and Korat Mazda FC.

Speaking to Tema-base news portal, the gameplan.com.gh on the line from his base, Coach Ennin noted that the road to his current position as the head coach of his club has not been an easy journey.

Recounting how he got into soccer as a goalkeeper, he stated that he just like most African players, started playing football in his neighbour, Tema Community 2, Ghana, with barefoot with some of his friends. He adds that for them at very young age what mattered most was to enjoy doing what they love which is play football as they did not care whether the park on which they played was grassed or not and also did not care whether they wore soccer boots.

“Sometimes it is unbelievable when I look back at how it all started for me. It was extremely difficult from the start because where I come from in Ghana, things were not too good and so if you were not determined, you would end up giving up your dream of becoming a profession goalkeeper of a soccer club. I had to brave the storm to end up getting to where I am today. All I can say is thank you to all the people that have supported me in one way or the other to get this far.

My special thanks go to God who has shown me mercy throughout my career” he remarked as he recounted his past.
Elaborating further about the earlier stages of his career, Coach Ennin said after playing for Ghanaian local clubs like Delom Royals, Great Mariners, Inter Port City, Krukrentumi and Krobo Youth, he finally got the opportunity through an agent to travel to Thailand to play his trade professionally.

“I left the shore of Ghana to Thailand with high hopes, thinking that I was going there to have my trails with the said club I was promised after which I might get an offer if I perform well. I got there only to realized that there were more to it than I anticipated. I had to wait several weeks to finally get trails done, it was difficult getting a place to lay my head and even a field to train so as to keep fit were all challenges that I encountered while there,” he said
with heavy emotion that could be detected in his voice.

According to him because he was determined to succeed, he went through all the challenges and when the opportunity came, he did not disappointed and subsequently got signed by Samutprakarn FC, his first Thai team in the year.

The rest he said is history as he went on to make several appearances for a combine number of …… clubs in Thailand which span across the Thailand’s football pyramid. “I can tell you that I am household name in Thailand because of my exploits as a goalkeeper and later as a soccer coach who has coached a number of times over there. I am proud of what I have been able to achieve over there,” he said amidst laughter on the line.

Speaking about how he got into the sphere of soccer management, Coach Ennin said as he neared the end of career as a goalkeeper, he took up courses that prepared him for management position that he finds himself in today. “Realizing that I was going to hang my gloves after a career I am so much proud of, I decided to do some courses and today I am a proud member of the Ghana Football Coaches Association with CAF Licence ‘A’,” he pointed out.

In an answer to a question as to how he landed his current job, he commented that it was made possible through his agent and quickly added that the league in Swaziland is currently on break just like soccer leagues across the world. “We are currently on break” he said and quickly pointed out that he has other plans which he refused to disclose to this news portal except to that he will speak about it as soon as that plan is executed.

The experienced coach who has become the toast of the fans of Denver Sundown noted that through him some Ghanaians players who he refused to mentioned have been able to ply their trade with some teams in Thailand and some teams in other countries.

As a way of giving back to society, he said he has established a soccer team, Niki soccer academy back home that is solely sponsored by him. The idea according to him is to ensure that young players are given the opportunity to start on good note fully prepared and conditioned for the challenges of becoming a modern-day soccer player.

“The whole idea of setting up Niki Soccer Academy is to first give back to society, and to give some form of platform to these young players. I do not want them to go through what some of went through beside the game has changed and for one to succeed you need to have the right infrastructure, the right training equipment and the right coaches to prepare you for the challenges ahead,” he stated adding that it is exactly what his soccer club is providing to its players since its formation.

He explained that anytime he is on break and is back home in Ghana he spends a lot time coaching his academy players by taking them through drills, ball control, positioning and shooting techniques to help put them in a better shape. He adds that most of the boys have benefitted from his coaching and are currently doing well compared to what they were prior to arriving at the academy.
The outbreak of the Coronavirus he noted has affected the team’s participation in tournaments organized in United States of America and some European countries. He hopes that when the pandemic is finally brought under control and football resumes on full scale, Niki Soccer Academy would pick up from where they left.

Concluding Coach Christopher Ennin said his ambition is to coach the senior national team, the Black Stars and added that he will be happy to start that quest by coaching any of the junior national teams for a start and believes that he has what it takes to win a world cup for Ghana at that level.

“What do I want to be remembered for, when I finally say goodbye to football? I want to be remembered as of the greatest soccer managers to ever have come from Ghana” he remarked to bring his interview with gameplan.com.gh to an end.

Source:gameplan.com.gh