It’s a bit cliché to say, but you can tell a lot about a player’s character by the way they handle adversity. So, Toronto FC fans should have a better understanding of Nana Attakora soon. After a steady rise from the local kid, he’s taken a step back this season. He was pulled from two straight games and, for the first time in two seasons, he did not play in a game in which he was healthy and eligible.
I had a chance to speak to Attakora over the phone Wednesday afternoon. The conversation came hours after TFC had trained and it was set-up outside of normal media availability. The point being that he didn’t have to make the call and could have just as easily avoided talking – he had to know what the questions would be about, after all.
So, it probably says something that he called.
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Attakora made mention of a off field “distraction” that was contributing to his struggles, but did not elaborate. He was clear that he didn’t want to make an excuse though. He needed to play better.
As for what he needs to do better it’s a little more up in the air. Against San Jose, the coaching staff was concerned with the space that the Reds were giving. They wanted the team to be more aggressive and since Attakora was the player subbed out you can make a safe assumption that he was part of that problem.
He’s always been a more athletic player than a tactical one. That could make it difficult in a system that demands a lot out of its defenders.
Another thing Attakora said was that it was important to remember that he was only 21. He accepted that he had more demands than a typical player that age because of the amount of time he’s been with the club and the trust he’s been shown up to now as a player.
But, he’s right. He is just 21, so TFC fans should not get overly worried about this set-back. If he takes the lesson to heart and improves the tactical side of his game under Winter, Attakora could emerge as a overall better player than if he had just kept plugging along as he was.