I can be Wanderers silver lining, says Yeboah

It’s too late in the season for Kwame Yeboah to work a miracle for Western Sydney Wanderers, but the exciting striker is aiming to shine some light on a wretched campaign and regain his equilibrium for another shot at Europe.

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With two goals in four appearances since his return to Australia after nearly five years of toiling for recognition in Germany, the 24-year-old is simply enjoying the continuity of first team football again.

It wasn’t a luxury afforded in Germany where Yeboah was on a steep learning curve after being spirited away from Brisbane Roar as a teenager by powerhouse club Borussia Monchengladbach.

He made the senior squad but never won a first team debut, instead making over 50 appearances for the reserves in Germany’s fourth tier.

Moves to third tier Paderborn and Fortuna Koln didn’t produce the fireworks expected, and then came the phone call from Wanderers’ German coach Marcus Babbel to repatriate an older and wiser Yeboah on a two-and-half year deal to Wanderland.

“I’m still at an age where I can go anywhere but I want at least a year in Australia, playing regularly and doing the best I can,” said Yeboah ahead of Friday night’s visit of Newcastle Jets to ANZ Stadium.

“Marcus Babbel called me in Germany personally and I respected that.

“There were other options but I had no other calls from coaches. I took on what he said and took the option.

“I could have easily stayed in Europe but I wasn’t in Gladbach anymore and wasn’t really happy if I wasn’t part of the first league there, and would rather be playing first league at home.

“I’m just here doing my best and seeing where I can go back to.

“I just want to be effective in games and I guess show the experience I’ve gained with five years in Europe. Let’s see where that can take me.”

With the Wanderers flailing in eighth place, 16 points off the top six, it won’t take Yeboah to the A-League play-offs this season.

But his pace, power and finishing skills might bring a flicker of a smile back to the faces of long-suffering Wanderers fans.

That’s if, after just two wins from 16 games, they can learn how to close out matches.

Case in point the recent 4-3 loss to Perth Glory - where they led 3-1 - and last week’s 2-2 draw with Roar, when they conceded twice in stoppage time.

“I’m not sure if it’s a fitness thing. We’ve been playing good football but in that last 10 or 15 minutes we’ve struggled to keep but we’ve built up in matches in terms of goals,” added Yeboah.

“It’s a matter of holding onto what we’ve got. If we do that we’ll be more than fine.

“The Perth and Brisbane games were examples of that in recent games.”

Though keeper Vedran Janjetovic was roundly vilified for his aberration in conceding the corner which led to Brisbane’s equaliser, Yeboah isn’t apportioning any blame.

“Everyone makes mistakes - it wasn’t only his fault,” he said.

“Of course it was a big (factor). Those things don’t normally happen. But it was still 2-0 after 90 minutes and not all the faults are him with at all.

“They still scored before that to make it 2-1. He’s a strong character and I think that’s way behind him now.

“We are all just concentrating on Friday night now.

“It was just a one off. But in our situation right now everything gets blown up compared to if we were winning.”