With the first round of the Ghanaian Premier League almost ending, the Ghanaian football fraternity has been treated with scintillating performances from their adored players. As always been the case with the premier league since the nascence of competitive club football in the country, there have been emergence of talents season after season, and the current one is no exception. Among the new wave of emerging talents is Tema Youth’s Joseph Paintsil.
The Tema based club may be struggling since making a return to top-flight football after several years in the wilderness. The club is placed 13th on the log after 12 matches and with 13 points but the consistent promising displays by Joseph Paintsil leaves much to be desired.
Virtually unknown as recently as this season, Paintsil has taken the Ghanaian Premier League by storm. The slight-of-frame attacking midfielder and occasionally winger, who has an outstanding work rate, sublime technical skills and a terrific range of passing, has been at the heart of almost every Tema Youth move this season. So far, the nineteen-year-old has 5 goals, 1 assist and 4 MVP’s to his credit.
Born and raised in Fadama; a suburb of Accra, Ghana’s capital, Paintsil started out at Ajax Fc, a Colts club in Fadama. A stint with the defunct Red Bull Academy in Ghana followed, before a host of impressive performances had numerous Ghanaian clubs chasing after his signature. Paintsil ultimately settled on Tema Youth and has been with them for the past two seasons. “I opted for Tema Youth at the expense of other premiership clubs because I needed to develop as a footballer and thus needed to align myself with a club that would help me develop.” He told GhanaFans.com
“I have seen and read about a lot of talented footballers who could not reach the level expected of them. Some of the factors that led to this failure could partly be blamed on the clubs they joined in the early stages of their footballing career. I didn’t want to tow that line, hence my decision to join the then Division One side, Tema Youth.
Joseph Paintsil is always looking to receive possession and is adept at finding spaces between the lines, pacey and clever when it comes to distributing the ball as well, knowing when to keep it by playing short passes and when to release longer balls to set his side up for a counter- attack. His versatility makes him very difficult to catch when in full flight. Paintsil is also a clever mover off the ball and comfortable playing behind the striker or on the flanks. It’s not surprising that Paintsil has already earned call-ups into the juvenile national teams.
“I was the deputy captain for the national Under-17 team three years ago, and was also a member of the national Under-20 team, and made an appearance when the Black Satellites played against Ethiopia in the qualifiers. I missed our game against Senegal due to injury.”
The teenage Ghanaian idolizes Barcelona and Spain legend Andreas Iniesta and hopes to emulate his good works and etch his name in football folklore. “Iniesta is my idol. I really want to be like him. A lot of people say my style of play is reminiscent of his and that excites me a lot. I know getting to his level won’t be an easy feat but I am determined to do my little and much to ensure that my efforts get recognized globally.”
The motivated, ambitious and tenacious youngster is indeed a delight to watch and would surely be of immense benefit to the nation one day. It would be a travesty beyond compare if Joseph Paintsil does not play to his fullest potential.