Together with Josip Drmic, Rijeka’s striker is that this season’s Ghanaian striker Issah Abass (23). He got here this summer time on a one-year mortgage from the German Bundesliga Mainz, he began his taking part in profession in his homeland, in Askowa Deportivo, and in January 2017 he moved to Ljubljana’s Olimpija. He stayed in Slovenia for a yr and a half, and within the 2017/18 season, below the management of coach Igor Bišćan, he gained a double crown with Olimpija. He scored 17 targets in 54 video games for the Ljubljana membership and in the summertime of 2018 he went to Mainz, Olimpija obtained two million euros in compensation.
Great season
However he didn’t run out of “honey and milk” in Germany, he performed solely 4 video games and went on mortgage to the Netherlands, to Utrecht, after which to Twente, the place he was within the spring. He performed 20 video games for Utrecht and scored 5 targets, whereas in Twente he didn’t shake the opponent’s internet in eight video games. He was a member of the younger nationwide crew of Ghana (below 23), for which he made three appearances on the African Cup of Nations.
Abass has performed 13 video games for Rijeka to date, scored six targets and had one help. Bringing this Ganc was definitely an ideal “sting” of the brand new sports activities director of Rijeka, Robert Palikuca, who described Abassa as follows after signing the contract:
“We introduced an actual participant, a contemporary striker who can play in all 4 offensive positions. We wanted simply such a participant,” Palikuca mentioned confidently.
And Abass confirmed Palikuca’s evaluation along with his video games! It’s attention-grabbing that Ganc didn’t want time to get used to it, he instantly “clicked” along with his teammates and confirmed his class, confirming that he might be a reinforcement for Rijeka.
“Quite a bit depends upon the mentality of the gamers, in addition to on the preparations earlier than the season. I went by a lot of the preparations with Rijeka and I slot in nicely with this nice crew. I used to be fortunate sufficient to come back to the locker room stuffed with high quality gamers, after which, in such a state of affairs, to adapt a lot simpler and quicker. We now have been taking part in nicely for the reason that starting, the extra skilled gamers have made the adjustment interval simpler for every of us who’ve now come, and an important factor is that we had been accompanied by a very good outcome. Once you win, every little thing is nicer and simpler,” mentioned Abass.
Rijeka is first within the standings, you scored six targets and recorded one help. Are you content along with your video games and efficiency?
“I do not like to speak about my efficiency, targets or assists. I at all times like to speak in regards to the crew, about crew success, as a result of all the outcomes we obtain – we obtain collectively. So, the crew is taking part in nicely, I’m glad with how we’ve got performed to date and I hope that we’ll proceed to take action. And when a crew performs nicely, then a person at all times jumps out, the crew “throws him out”. As soon as it was Drmić, one other time Pavičić, then Prince, Muric, or me,”
Which sport would you single out as the most effective within the Rijeka jersey to date?
“If I’ve to single out one sport within the Rijeka jersey, then it might be a sport towards Hibernian in Rijeka. We performed nice, we had been all at a excessive degree. The stands had been full and the ambiance was nice. Each sport is vital, however this victory had added worth as a result of it was performed in a European competitors, we gained a spot within the subsequent spherical, knocking out an excellent Scottish crew,”
Your first encounter with Europe was coming to Olympia. You gained a double crown, the coach was Igor Bišćan. We had been on the match Maribor – Olimpija three and a half years in the past, you gained 3: 2, you had been then, but additionally all that season, one of many key gamers of the Ljubljana membership. Do you bear in mind these days?
“After all, I typically do not forget that implausible season, it was an ideal expertise. The championship was very unsure, till the final spherical, we lastly managed to achieve the title of champion. It was once very troublesome, we requested for 3 factors in each sport, it was not simple. I additionally bear in mind some matches within the Cup, within the semifinals, for instance, we turned the rating towards Celje at residence, I scored within the ninetieth minute to win! I did not play within the finals from the start, I went in and scored a objective and assisted … It was an exquisite season, which I’ll at all times be comfortable to recollect,”
It was not clear to me…
After the talked about match in Maribor, you had been crushed within the tunnel, the folks of Maribor attacked you since you provoked the house followers by grabbing your crotch! What classes did you be taught from that incident?
“I defined this case instantly after the sport. The house followers insulted us and one of many followers needed my jersey and I gave it to him. He then requested for the decrease a part of the jersey, so I gave it to him as nicely. Since I pulled on my panties too, it appeared like I used to be upsetting, and that basically wasn’t my intention in any respect. I used to be left confused and it was not clear to me why every little thing instantly escalated. I had no intention of insulting anybody, so I apologized after the sport,”
Are you involved with the Soccer Affiliation of Ghana? Are there any indications that you simply may obtain a consultant name?
“I’ve already performed for the nationwide crew and naturally I hope to play once more, that’s my nice want. There have been adjustments within the menu place, however I imagine that with my good video games I’ll draw consideration to myself and get a name. It’s definitely one in every of my largest needs in my profession,”
You might be on mortgage till the summer time of 2022, with the choice to buy the contract. Do you need to keep in Rujevica?
“I like Rijeka, however it’s troublesome to say at this second what is going to occur on the finish of the season. In the intervening time, I’m concentrating completely on the sector,”
Which of your teammates do you hang around with probably the most? How do you spend your free time in Rijeka, what do you want?
“I hang around with Joao Escoval probably the most. Why? I do not know, we simply “clicked”, ha, ha … I typically hang around with Prince, and I am on good phrases with all my teammates. We often stroll downtown, so Escoval, Prince, Obregon and I’m going for lunch. I get pleasure from spending time by the ocean, within the solar, however I have not discovered to swim but, ha ha …There might be time for that too,”
