Christian Annan

Christian Annan
Personal information
Full name Christian Kwesi Annan
Date of birth (1978-05-03) 3 May 1978
Place of birth Accra, Ghana
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position Striker/ Left-Winger
Club information
Current team
Kitchee
Number 15
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2006 Eastern 8 (14)
2006–2013 Tai Po 124 (42)
2013– Kitchee 24 (6)
Total 156 (62)
National team
2014 Hong Kong U-23 3 (1)
2014– Hong Kong 10 (1)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22 February 2015.
† Appearances (goals)

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 11 June 2015

Christian Kwesi Annan (Chinese: 安基斯; born 3 May 1978) is a Ghanaian-born Hong Kong professional footballer as a striker. He joined Tai Po in 2006 and is famed in the Hong Kong First Division for his high pace and dribbling skill. He currently plays for Hong Kong Premier League side Kitchee

Biography

Eastern AA

Annan trying to go past Fung Ka Ki of Mutual FC in a league game

Christian Annan arrived in Hong Kong to continue his football career in 2005. Unfortunately, he arrived at a time when most clubs in the First Division had already finished their foreign player signings, and so he joined Eastern, a Second Division club instead.

With 14 goals in 11 matches, including a hat trick against Tai Po FC, Annan successfully gained the attention of his then opponent. When Tai Po FC has successfully obtained their promotion status after the 2005–06 season, they signed Annan immediately.

Tai Po FC

Although he did not have the same impact in front of goal when compared to his time in the Second Division, Annan bagged 6 goals in 21 matches and became Wofoo Tai Po's top scorer (along with defender Joel), helping the team to successfully avoid relegation . His performances were also thrown into the limelight with his selection into the Hong Kong League XI for the Lunar New Year Cup 2007. With only a brief appearance in the first match against Jamaica, Annan started the next match against Australia U-23, was fouled in the box, gaining a penalty for his team which ultimately tied the match (penalty scored by Keith Gumbs) in injury time.

His contribution on Wofoo Tai Po has been further rewarded: he was selected into the 2006–07 Squad of the Year in the Hong Kong Footballer Awards.

In season 2007–2008, Annan kept performing and being selected into the first squad of Hong Kong League XI for the Lunar New Year Cup 2008. He only dropped out of the final selection due to the overload of attacking players. He scored 7 goals in the season, being named the second top league scorer of the team along with striking partner Betine, behind Dega.

In the 2011–12 season, on 18 September 2011, Annan appeared as a second-half substitute and scored twice against Kitchee, but Tai Po still lost the game, 4–2.

Kitchee

On 9 June 2013, Annan joined Kitchee on a free transfer along with his former Tai Po strike partner Alex Tayo Akande. On 3 September 2013, Annan made his debut for Kitchee in a 6–2 victory against Sun Hei. On 19 October 2013, Annan scored his first goal for Kitchee by netting the winner in a 1–0 victory against Yokohama FC Hong Kong.

Hong Kong League XI

On 18 July 2010, Annan was selected into Hong Kong League Selection against Birmingham City in the Hong Kong Stadium. He scored a goal in the match and was the MVP of the match. After the match, it was rumoured that the manager of Birmingham City Alex McLeish was interested in signing Annan.[1]

International career

Annan scored his first international goal for Hong Kong against Bhutan on 11 June 2015 in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier.

Honours

Club

Tai Po

Individual

Statistics

Club statistics

As of 22 February 2015
Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Hong Kong League FA Cup & Shield LC & Play-offs Asia Total
2005–06 Eastern Second Division 81430--1114
2006–07 Tai Po First Division 1552041-216
2007–08 1874040-267
2008–09 2394221-2912
2009–10 18341-61285
2010–11 1846410-258
2011–12 1575410-2111
2012–13 17711710-2914
2013–14 Kitchee First Division 186500000236
2014–15 Premier League 6000002080
Total Eastern 8143000001114
Tai Po 1244236181326117963
Kitchee 246500020316
Career total 1566244181328122183

International

As of 5 March 2014
# Date Venue Opponent Result Scored Competition
1 5 March 2014 My Dinh National Stadium, Từ Liêm District, Hanoi, Vietnam  Vietnam 1–3 0 2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification

Personal life

Annan married a Hong Kong Girl, Irene and have a Daughter Precious Hong Kong[2][3][4]

Notes and references

  1. McLeish interested in signing Hong Kong League XI player Christian (in Chinese)
  2. Wofoo Tai Po – Football can fulfill dreams (和富大埔—足可圓夢), Wofoo Social Enterprises, 2007,30–37 ISBN 978-988-99851-1-0
  3. 安基斯喜得異地情〉,蘋果日報 , 20 September 2008
  4. African soccer players flee war and poverty in search of a better life in Hong Kong〉, South China Morning Post, 8 October 2008

External links

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