Anthony Obodai Explained

Anthony Obodai
Birth Date:6 August 1982
Birth Place:Accra, Ghana
Position:Midfielder
Years1:2000–2001
Clubs1:Liberty Professionals
Years2:2001–2005
Clubs2:Ajax
Caps2:21
Goals2:2
Years3:2002–2003
Clubs3:Germinal Beerschot (loan)
Caps3:29
Goals3:2
Years4:2005–2007
Clubs4:Sparta Rotterdam
Caps4:47
Goals4:1
Years5:2007–2010
Clubs5:RKC Waalwijk
Caps5:88
Goals5:5
Years6:2010
Clubs6:Houston Dynamo
Caps6:4
Goals6:0
Years7:2012
Clubs7:Mağusa Türk Gücü
Caps7:13
Goals7:2
Years8:2013
Clubs8:Phoenix FC
Caps8:24
Goals8:0
Years9:2014
Clubs9:Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Caps9:16
Goals9:0
Years10:2015
Clubs10:Ånge
Caps10:24
Goals10:3
Nationalyears1:1999
Nationalteam1:Ghana U17
Nationalcaps1:6
Nationalgoals1:1
Nationalyears2:2001
Nationalteam2:Ghana U20
Nationalcaps2:3
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:2003–2005
Nationalteam3:Ghana
Nationalcaps3:4
Nationalgoals3:0
Club-Update:September 16, 2014
Ntupdate:September 16, 2014

Anthony Obodai (born 6 August 1982) is a Ghanaian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.[1]

Career

Club career

Born in Accra, Obodai began his career with local team Liberty Professionals in 2000. He signed for Dutch team Ajax in 2001, playing on loan at Belgian side Germinal Beerschot during the 2002–03 season. In August 2005 a move to English side Luton Town collapsed,[2] and Obodai moved to Sparta Rotterdam two days later.[3] Obodai was made club captain at Sparta,[4] but asked to leave the club in January 2007, signing for RKC Waalwijk on 31 January 2007.[5] During his time in the Netherlands and Belgium, Obodai made nearly 200 appearances.[6]

Obodai was signed by Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer in July 2010,[7] making four appearances before being released at the end of the season.[8]

In January 2012 he signed a contract at Birinci Lig side Mağusa Türk Gücü in Northern Cyprus.[9]

In February 2013, Obodai signed for Phoenix FC of the USL Pro, the third division of the United States soccer pyramid.[10] In his first season with the club, Obodai made 24 appearances and tallied one assist.[11] When Phoenix FC faced financial difficulty after its first season of existence, Obodai signed for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, also of the USL Pro, on 7 November 2013.[12]

In January 2015 he signed with Ånge in the Swedish Division 2.[13] He left the club after the season.[14]

International career

Obodai played at the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship and the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship. He also earned four senior caps for Ghana between 2003 and 2005.

Notes and References

  1. https://www.vice.com/nl/article/d3mmv7/anthony-the-king-obodai Dit is het leven van Anthony 'The King' Obodai in Ghana
  2. Web site: Boss backtracks on Obodai swoop. 8 February 2011. 28 August 2005. BBC Sport.
  3. Web site: Obodai signs for Sparta Rotterdam. 8 February 2011. 30 August 2005. Ibrahim Sannie. BBC Sport.
  4. Web site: Ghana's Obodai wants Sparta exit. 8 February 2011. 27 January 2007. Ibrahim Sannie. BBC Sport.
  5. Web site: Ghana's Obodai joins Waalwijk. 8 February 2011. 31 January 2007. Ibrahim Sannie. BBC Sport.
  6. Voetbal International
  7. Web site: Anthony Obodai Joins MLS Club Houston Dynamo. 8 February 2011. 15 July 2010. K.N.S. Mensah. Goal.com.
  8. http://www.mlssoccer.com/player/anthony-obodai MLS profile
  9. http://www.ktff.net/BilgiBankasi/FutbolcuDetayi/11734 KTFF profile
  10. Web site: Domingo. Odeen. Phoenix FC midfielder and ex-Dutch league pro Anthony Obodai loves Phoenix. AZcentral.com. 28 October 2013.
  11. Web site: Phoenix FC 2013 Statistics . USL Pro . 28 October 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131020195439/http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2013/58092992.html . 20 October 2013 .
  12. Web site: Vesty. HOUNDS SIGN ANTHONY OBODAI. Steel Army. 8 November 2013.
  13. Web site: Aftonbladet. Zlatans lagkamrat klar – för Ånge IF. 7 January 2015 .
  14. Web site: Sundsvalls Tidning. Nybygget Ånge IF är redo för premiären: "Vi är en familj".