Asante Kotoko head coach Prosper Narteh Ogum has expressed his long-standing desire to work with Congolese defender, Samba Ndongani O’Neil.
The 23-year-old joined the Porcupines last month as a free agent on a two-year deal after ending his contract with Rahimo FC in Burkina Faso.
Samba made an instant impact at Kotoko, playing a key role in the team’s 2-1 win over Hearts of Oak in the first-ever Democracy Cup at Accra Sports Stadium last month. His impressive performance earned him the man-of-the-match award.
Speaking to the club’s media about his decision to sign Samba, Ogum revealed that he had been yearning to work with the Congolese defender for the past three seasons.
“When it comes to foreign-based players, someone like Samba (O’Neil) has been on my radar for a long time. I’ve been yearning to work with him,” Ogum shared. “There’s one thing I love about him—anytime you engage with him, he says, ‘Coach, don’t worry, I will make you proud.’ He’s always ready to work, very determined, and incredibly confident.”
Ogum also revealed that he had discussed Samba’s signing with his boss, Kwesi Appiah, and that he was easily convinced by the coach’s assessment of the player’s abilities.
“I spoke at length about Samba with my boss, Kwesi Appiah, who is experienced and a senior in the game. I shared Samba’s profile with him, and he quickly agreed that we should sign him without hesitation, trusting in my judgment. Fortunately, Samba has proven himself right from his first game and continues to impress during training,” Ogum added.
The centre-back made 29 appearances, scoring once and providing four assists in the Burkinabe top-flight last season.
He has previously featured for Nigerien clubs AS Douanes and Sahel SC before moving to Burkina Faso in 2021, joining Rahimo.
