Nana Attakora
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| 200px | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nana Attakora-Gyan | ||
| Date of birth | March 27, 1989 | ||
| Place of birth | North York, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | Script error: No such module "person height". | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
Fort Lauderdale Strikers | ||
| Number | 5 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2000–2003 | Brampton East | ||
| 2004–2006 | NTC Ontario | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2007–2011 | Toronto FC | 56 | (3) |
| 2011 | San Jose Earthquakes | 6 | (0) |
| 2012 | Haka | 8 | (0) |
| 2013 | San Jose Earthquakes | 8 | (0) |
| 2014 | D.C. United | 0 | (0) |
| 2015 | San Antonio Scorpions | 21 | (1) |
| 2016– | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2004–2006 | Canada U17 | 7 | (1) |
| 2006–2009 | Canada U20 | 20 | (1) |
| 2012 | Canada U23 | 4 | (0) |
| 2010– | Canada | 8 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of November 1, 2015 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of January 19, 2015 |
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Nana Attakora-Gyan (born March 27, 1989) is a Canadian soccer player who currently plays for Fort Lauderdale Strikers in the NASL.
Contents
Career
Professional
Born in North York, Ontario, Attakora trained with Everton of the English Premier League during the summer of 2007, prior to signing for Toronto FC. He played in five MLS Reserve Division games in his debut season, but suffered from a groin injury for the last part of the season, preventing him from making his first team debut until August 9, 2008, when he played against Colorado Rapids. Attakora scored his first career goal vs. Colorado Rapids on September 12, 2009.
During his debut game, it was announced by the commentators that he had dropped the 'Gyan' from his name, and would like to be referred to as solely Nana Attakora.
Attakora went on to have a very successful campaign with Toronto FC in 2009, working his way into the starting eleven and being voted in by supporters as Toronto FC player of the month for June.[1][2] With the addition of fellow Canadian International Adrian Cann in the 2010 season the defensive partnership has become one of the strongest in the league. As his contract approached expiry at the end of the 2011 season, it was heavily rumoured that he was looking to move to Europe with his newfound success after he turned down a contract that the Canadian club had offered in November. He later assured the fans that he had no plans on leaving Toronto and that he was waiting for increased stability with the coaching staff.[3]
In July 2011, Attakora was traded to San Jose Earthquakes in a multi-player deal.[4] At season's end, Attakora was out of contract and exploring options abroad, after trials with Hibernian and received a contract offer from 1. FC Union Berlin, Attakora decided he wanted to remain in Major League Soccer.[5][6][7]
On August 30, 2012, it was announced that Attakora had signed with Haka of Finland's Veikkausliiga.[8] After Haka was relegated at the end of the season, Attakora returned to Major League Soccer and signed with San Jose Earthquakes on February 22, 2013.[9] Attakora made his first return appearance on March 23 with a stand out 90 minute performance in a 1-0 victory over Seattle Sounders FC .[10]
Attakora was not re-signed by San Jose and entered the 2013 MLS Re-Entry Draft in December 2013. He was selected by D.C. United and signed with the club in January 2014.[11] He failed to make a regular season appearance and was mainly reduced to cup matches and CONCACAF Champions League appearances.
Attakora joined NASL club San Antonio Scorpions on February 25, 2015.[12] He made his debut for San Antonio on April 4 against the Tampa Bay Rowdies.
Attakora joined NASL side Fort Lauderdale Strikers on December 29, 2015.[13]
International
Attakora has represented Canada at U-16, U-17, U-19, U-20 and U-23 levels. In December 2009, Nana won the Canadian U-20 Players of the Year award for the second consecutive year.[14] Nana made his senior national team debut in a friendly match against Jamaica on January 31, 2010.[15] Attakora received his first call-up to the national team in over a year for the final two matches against Saint Kitts and Nevis in the opening group stage of World Cup Qualifying. After failing to play in the first game Attakora came on as a sub for Nikolas Ledgerwood on November 15, 2011 in a 4-0 victory for Canada.[16]
On June 27, 2013 Attakora was listed as a part of the confirmed 23-man squad for Colin Miller's Canada squad for 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup.[17] The CSA announced July 6 that Kyle Porter would replace Attakora in the Gold Cup due to an ongoing concussion worry that prevented him from even attending the training camp.[18]
Attakora would return to the pitch for Canada in a friendly against Iceland on January 16, 2015. He played the full 90 in a 1-2 loss.[19]
Personal
Attakora is of Ghanaian heritage.[20] He received a U.S. green card in 2014 which qualifies him as a domestic player for MLS roster purposes.[21]
Honours
Toronto FC
- Canadian Championship (3): 2009, 2010, 2011
Individual
- Canadian U-20 Players of the Year: 2008, 2009
International statistics
- As of January 19, 2015
| Canada national team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2010 | 1 | 0 |
| 2011 | 1 | 0 |
| 2012 | 1 | 0 |
| 2013 | 3 | 0 |
| 2015 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 8 | 0 |
References
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- ↑ http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/top-football-stories/earthquakes_keeper_gets_extended_trial_at_hibs_1_2111682l
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ http://www.dcunited.com/news/2014/01/dc-united-signs-nana-attakora
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://www.strikers.com/news/2015/12/29/strikers-ink-quartet-of-experienced-nasl-players
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- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=357457
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
- Use mdy dates from October 2012
- Pages with broken file links
- Pages using infobox football biography with height issues
- 1989 births
- Living people
- Black Canadian sportspeople
- Canadian soccer players
- Canadian expatriate soccer players
- Canada men's youth international soccer players
- Canada men's under-23 international soccer players
- Canada men's international soccer players
- Association football defenders
- Canadian people of Ghanaian descent
- Soccer people from Ontario
- People from North York
- Toronto FC players
- San Jose Earthquakes players
- FC Haka players
- D.C. United players
- San Antonio Scorpions players
- Fort Lauderdale Strikers players
- Expatriate soccer players in the United States
- Expatriate footballers in Finland
- Major League Soccer players
- Veikkausliiga players
- North American Soccer League players
- York University alumni
