Derek Asamoah

Derek Asamoah

Personal information
Height	1.7 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s)	Striker
Team information
Current team	Lokomotiv Sofia
Number	9
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 30 May 2008

Derek Asamoah (born 1 May 1981) is a Ghanaian professional footballer. Having had a career in English football, he is currently playing for Bulgarian side Lokomotiv Sofia. Asamoah is a Forward with bags of pace. He can also operate on either wing.

Club career

Amateur

Asamoah learned his trade at the Protec Football Academy in North London. Whilst at the Academy, he played for semi-Professional side Hampton and Richmond, before moving to Slough Town in 2001.

Professional

Asamoah then gained a trial through the Protec Academy at Northampton Town, in which he signed his first professional contract. After an impressive first season at Sixfields, he was offered a new improved contract but Asamoah turned it down in favor of a move to Mansfield Town. He had a difficult time at Mansfield Town and fell out with manager Carlton Palmer. He was transfer-listed and moved to Lincoln City.

Asamoah struggled to enjoy his spell at Lincoln City and scored very few goals, which led to boss Keith Alexander loaning him out to struggling Chester City.

Asamoah was in his most prolific season yet, almost using his own two feet saving Chester from the drop with 9 goals in 18 matches and at one stage in the season, he had 7 goals in 4 matches. Having rejected a permanent deal with chester, asamoah left the Deva Stadium and was released by Lincoln City.

In search of a new club, Asamoah trialled with both Doncaster Rovers and Scunthorpe United during July 2006, but on August 3, 2006, Shrewsbury Town announced that he had signed for them and turned town Scunthorpe United.

In 2006-07 Asamoah netted 10 times in the league as Shrewsbury Town qualified for the League Two play-offs in 7th place.

In August 2007, Asamoah moved to French League 1 side OGC Nice in a controversial transfer, where he went AWOL from Shrewsbury Town in order to sign with the French club, with no clearance from Shrewsbury Town, the FA or the Football League. Asamoah moved for a figure of £50,000.

Following the transfer, Shrewsbury manager Gary Peters claimed Asamoah's conduct was that of a 'selfish player and a selfish person', and revealed Asamoah would have been sacked by Shrewsbury Town had his deal with Nice fallen through.

Asamoah had a few spells on the sidelines in France and ended the season with no appearances for Nice, for the 2008-09 he again failed to make a single appearance for the first team, as a result of this, he has not played domestic football in over 18 months. At the end of January Asamoah left the club my mutual consent, where he began training with Yeovil

On April 2, 2009 it was confirmed that he had a trial at Scottish side Hamilton becoming the third Shrewsbury Town player to feature on their books after Colin Cramb and cult hero Victor Kasule. Asamoah made his debut for the Scottish side against Celtic, in a 6-0 thumping. At the end of the season Asamoah decided change would be best for him and left Hamilton Accademical for Bulgaria.

In August 2009 Asamoah signed contract with Bulgarian side Lokomotiv Sofia.

International career

In October 2006, Asamoah was named in the Ghana national football team squad for friendlies against Japan and South Korea, in which he made his International debut, he has now gone on to make another 3 appearanes for Ghana and will be now looking to gain a place in Milovan Rajevac's squads for the 2010 African Cup of Nations and Fifa World Cup .