Anita Asante

[David]

Arsenal midfielder turned defender and now an England international. Scored her first international goal against Norway in 2005 in her second game for England.

Anita doesn't have an official website but does have a myspace which she has kindly agreed for us to link to:-

www.myspace.com/116236763

[David]

Arsenal's Asante stands tall

Umeå IK struck eleven goals over two legs in both the UEFA Women's Cup quarter and semi-finals. That they drew a blank in the 1-0 defeat by Arsenal LFC in the first leg of the final on Saturday afternoon was due in no small part to a determined effort from the visiting defence.

Out of position
At the heart of that back line was the towering Anita Asante, a midfielder who has stepped back for Arsenal and England this season in the absence through injury of Faye White, Leanne Champ and Yvonne Tracy. Asante believes the performance in Sweden was proof of how she and her colleagues have coped with those losses this season, telling uefa.com: "The whole team pulled together. Some of us are playing out of position but we want it so badly we are prepared to put in that extra graft, work and communicate and we proved it today."

'Absolutely ecstatic'
In their first final compared to Umeå's fourth, Arsenal are now in pole position to lift the trophy ahead of their home leg next Sunday and Asante is delighted. "I'm absolutely ecstatic," she said. "All the girls grafted for that result and we just gave it our best, Obviously it was quite testing. We were playing against international standard players of great class and quality. And it is good to be able test ourselves as individuals, a back-four unit and as a team."

Top-class opponents
It was especially impressive considering they were lined up against the likes of Marta, Hanna Ljungberg and Lise Klaveness, whose reputations go before them, providing a contrast from the English domestic scene which Arsenal dominate with seeming ease. "It is a brilliant experience playing against them," Asante said. "On the ball they have great movement it meant we had to stay switched on and mentally on our toes, it is good for us to have to do that."

http://www.uefa.com/competitions/womencup/news/kind=1/newsid=530209.html

[protocol69]

Definitely the best player in the league, forget about Kelly Smith, Jayne Ludlow, Julie Fleeting and co. Anita makes Arsenal as good as they are, she may not score the goals but i don't know many attackers who will get round her. She makes the likes of Mary Phillips and Faye White look good by getting them out of trouble almost everytime. Too underated, 2006/07 Player of the Year.

[redrobin]

Report in yesterday's Sun, written before news broke in the U.K. of Anita's injury which might keep her out of England's opening game v Japan.

Shanghai Hopes

The Sun
10th September 2007
by Paul Jiggins

Anita eyes China glory

Imagine England had a defender who pipped Michael Essien to a top award, was compared to Kolo Toure and won more medals last season than John Terry and Rio Ferdinand put together.  Well we do have such a player!

Unfortunately for Steve McLaren, Anita Asante cannot play for him against Russia on Wednesday – because she is in China with Hope Powell’s England women’s World Cup squad.

The Arsenal Ladies centre-half is expected to be named in coach Powell’s Three Lionesses line-up when they play Japan in their opening match in Shanghai tomorrow.  She said: “We are well equipped to do well. We have a very good squad, our preparation has been excellent and the camp is buzzing – we can’t wait to get started.”

Asante helped her club make history last season by winning the Quadruple of Women’s Premier League, League Cup, F.A. Cup and UEFA Cup. Her displays led to Gunners manager Arsene Wenger comparing her to his defensive rock Toure.

And Asante. 22. is no stranger to mixing with the biggest stars from the men’s game – as two years ago she pipped Chelsea midfielder Essien to win Ghana’s version of Sports Personality of the Year.  North Londoner Asante, whose parents hail from the West African country, said: “It was a great honour. I didn’t expect to win. I was stunned – but Michael was very good and congratulated me on winning.”

Asante has a degree in English and Politics from Brunel University.  As for being likened to Toure, she added: “I was very flattered by Mr. Wenger making such a comparison. I only hope I can play as well for England as Kolo has for Arsenal."

[Dr Gonzo]

I think she was player of the match today, had Birgit Prinz in her back pocket for much of it....

[John]

She has certainly played really well for England over the past year or so. To think she is not even a defender.

[redrobin]

Taking on the best
By Anita Asante in Chengdu. Sunday, 16 September 2007.

Looking back on the eventful game against Germany, and all the emotions that went with it, England defender Anita Asante takes us inside the camp explaining exactly what it felt like to play in her first ever World Cup match.

At 10am Friday 14 September, I awake from a much needed deep sleep and it occurs to me that today may possibly be the greatest moment of my life.

Today is the day we take on the World Champions, the Germans. At this point I am calm, relaxed and confident as I stroll leisurely along the hotel corridor with my team mates to the breakfast room. Everyone appears to be jubilant and full of conversation, with usual spouts of team banter from the regular culprits.

Looking around the room it is like any other match day, familiar faces, and cups of tea, soft drinks, toast and cereal. Except today, I can feel mutual recognition that this is a history making day. Collectively we do not have to talk repetitively about the Germans or their high profile players, we talk about us and what we expect from each other, in terms of support, encouragement and players fulfilling their job specifications to the best of their abilities, as we know we all will.

We are positive and we feed off the positive vibes from our Head Coach, who suggests to us that 'Today is going to be a great day', clearly in our favour!

The belief that we can get a result to give us the best possible chance of qualifying for the next stage is immense. As the schedule for the day steadily unfolds, I start to think about the game more and more.

I think about my role in the team and how I am going to combat the strengths of their forwards, reminding myself to be vocal, focussed and positive. By 5.30 pm the pre match meeting arrives, we are all sat awaiting the team talk from Hope, who reminds us of how far we have come, and what we have achieved and what is left to achieve.

Our Video Technician uploads images of every player in the squad and displays it on the screen; the images reinforce our togetherness, team spirit and resilience. I feel ready, excited and anxious. As I take a seat on the team bus I follow my usual ritual of listening to my music playlist on my iPod, to distract me and settle my nerves and emotions.

By the time we reach the ground I know what to expect, as I have already replayed in my mind the intense emotions when faced with a massive crowd, at an extravagant stadium, against the World’s best players.

However, this does not restrain me from feeling extremely nauseous before the warm up. Too late! A player in the dressing room has already been sick, I think the fact she has just brought up her pre-match meal quickly signals to my body not to follow suit!

During the warm up, I feel alert, sharp and ready with nerves now transitioning into positive energy.

Now the moment we have all been waiting for...standing on the red carpet hand in hand with my mascot we pace towards the pitch, sing the national anthems, shake hands and then huddle gearing each other up for what presently stands ahead.

Kick off...we hold the Germans to a goalless draw. We have once again reinforced our resilience, team unity and collective work ethic. As I step off the pitch I feel proud of my team and myself.

But for now, our celebrations are subdued because we want more and there is more to come. The team and I are already externally looking ahead to the next game against Argentina, as what we do next is what really matters and is in our control!

http://www.thefa.com/WorldCup2007/Diaries/Postings/2007/09/AnitaAsanteDiary_postGermany.htm

[redrobin]

'We're growing'
Friday, 21 September 2007.

USA v England
World Cup 2007, Quarter Final
1pm (BST), Saturday 23 September 2007
Tianjin Olympic Centre, Tianjin
Watch it live on BBC One

Anita Asante admits that despite preparing for the biggest game of her career, she is relaxed and confident ahead of the World Cup quarter final with USA.

Speaking to TheFA.com during England's visit to the Tianjin Olympic Centre, where they face Greg Ryan's team on Saturday, Asante also could not hide her delight at the opportunity to play in such an impressive venue.

"It's an absolutely amazing stadium. We came here to watch China play New Zealand on Thursday and the atmosphere was incredible.

"The conditions are really good, it's a nice flat surface although it is a little dry at the moment hopefully come the time of the game it will be a little softer. It's a great size of a stadium and hopefully we'll be playing in front of a sellout crowd."

Looking ahead to Saturday's clash with the Americans, Asante was sure that the confidence built up from impressive performances at the group stage would help the Three Lions' cause as they lined up against the team ranked number one in the world.

"It's certainly going to be the biggest game for most of us here and we're just hoping we can perform and get the result on the day," Asante explained.

"We're pretty confident at the moment. We've played well in the group stage and we're growing in confidence game-by-game, and we're pretty happy with our strategy."

http://www.thefa.com/WorldCup2007/EnglandNews/Postings/2007/09/TianjinStadium_21Sep.htm

[redrobin]

Asante expects tough test
by Stuart Mawhinney
Thursday, 22 November 2007.


England v Spain
UEFA Women's European Championship
Qualifying Round, Group One
6pm, Sunday 25 November 2007
Shrewsbury Town FC

Ice-cool under pressure, Anita Asante is a natural on the biggest occasion. From Birgit Prinz to Marinette Pichon, Asante has experience of playing against the most feared strikers in the game and is looking to continue her progress at Shrewsbury on Sunday.

But while players and fans alike will assume she is not susceptible to nerves, when asked about it the answer is quite different.

"I think I hide the nerves quite well," Asante admits. "It may not show but deep down I certainly get butterflies.

"Germany was my first game at the World Cup, a very big game in terms of the group, and when I got to stadium I did feel a little nauseous.

"But I just tried to stay calm, and told myself that it was just like any other game, and I got through it."

The match with Germany was also the first opportunity in over a year for Asante to play alongside Faye White in a competitive game for England.

Having returned from a second cruciate ligament injury, White earned universal praise for her performances.

"Faye's a very assured player and her presence alone makes you feel comfortable playing alongside her.

"She is always giving me good information and encouragement during the game, so it's always a pleasure to play with her.

"Even though she was injured prior to the tournament, she has always been around club training at Arsenal and matches. So it was like she had never been away."

Looking ahead to tonight's opponents, Asante is keen to end the year on a high note - but admits it won't be easy.

"Spain will be strong opposition, there's no doubt about that, they will be a very good footballing side and we will respect them as we do with every side we play.

"We'll also focus on our own strategy to get the best outcome, and hopefully the match will be about us and not about them. But it will definitely be a good game."

http://www.thefa.com/Womens/EnglandSenior/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/2007/11/Asante_SpainPreview.htm

[Dr Gonzo]

A recent Anita pic from the Everton Arsenal match...

[arsenalfan]

found anita asante's regular web blog for bbc london , quite a good read
#
http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2007/11/05/anita_asante_column1.shtml

[shlj]

Very interesting read, her account of England trip to La manga is consistent with Becky's one.
The Arsenal training session description are good tips as well.

[arsenalfan]

Hey, i found a link of Arsenal and Englands Anita Asante, its really good video feature aswell as an article

http://www.viewmagazine.tv/anitaasanteprofile.php

http://www.viewmagazine.tv/sport/football/anita.html

[John]

Interview: Anita Asante of England and Chelsea

Anita Asante has starred for club and country over the last five seasons in either midfield or defence and is renowned for her pace, aerial ability and fierce tackling. She gained her first international cap in her debut season and went on to be part of the Arsenal Ladies celebrated quadruple winning squad of 2006/7. Earlier this month Anita and Gunners team-mate Lianne Sanderson surprised many by switching to Chelsea who are only beginning to establish themselves amongst the top teams in domestic ladies' football. She spoke exclusively to Londonist shortly after her recent appearance in England's friendly defeat away to World Champions Germany.

How was it facing the World Champions on their own patch?

I was excited and a little nervous about playing the World Champions but once I stepped on the pitch I realised that this is what we all work so hard for - to test ourselves against the best in the world.

What are your ambitions with England over the coming season?

My ambitions are to qualify for Euro 2009 in Finland and hopefully meet and compete with the stronger nations in the final stages of the tournament.

You've recently, along with Lianne Sanderson, made a high profile move to Chelsea from Arsenal where you'd tasted great success. What were the major factors in your decision?

I decided to leave Arsenal, having had a great career at the club, to instil a renewed ambition within myself and compete with what is still a very strong club along with other teams such as Everton and Leeds. I felt it was the right time to challenge myself in a new environment and experience a different type of pressure having come from such a high profile team.

What are realistic goals for Chelsea Ladies this season?

Chelsea Ladies realistically seek to improve on where they finished last season and challenge the top two or three clubs and hopefully reach a cup final whether it be the FA or League Cup. As a whole the club are very positive and are ambitious, but believe they have the right crop of players to potentially achieve these goals.

Has it been easy combining your studies at Brunel University with your football?

It has been tough, but I have received a lot of support from my family, friends, lecturers and staff both at club and country so I feel very fortunate to have been able to continue with both. Both my studies and football are a major part of my life and each has led me to do things that I may not have been able to do without either, so when things get hard I think it will all be worthwhile in the end.

Footballers with degrees are rare in the men's game. Are they more common in Ladies football?

I think you will find there are a lot more ladies playing football with degrees, but that's because we do not have a professional league in England, so its a good thing to have for other career options and it's something to always fall back on.

You've been studying English and Politics. What were your specialist subjects within that?

I studied for a BA in English in Politics and am currently studying for an MRes in Politics. My specialist subjects in English are to do with works of fiction that focus on issues of identity, miscegenation, the centre and periphery and, in Politics, international relations and supranational institutions and globalisation.

Other sportswomen such as Olympic 4x100 metre relay runners Laura Turner and Emma Ania were studying with you at Brunel. Did you pick up any training tips from each other?

To be honest I never really crossed paths with these athletes, probably because of our schedules not coinciding as well as being based within different departments and my training not actually taking place at Brunel but other sporting facilities.

You've had a gradual rise through all the England junior teams. How has that helped you settle into the senior setup?

Having played through all the England Junior Teams has helped me gain a thorough understanding of the tactical strategies employed throughout the England setup. Also, it's allowed me to gain experience of playing the best up and coming talent from across the world that, like myself, either now or may play in their senior teams. When it comes to playing them at the highest level I have some sense of what I am coming up against. Moreover, I know how hard I will continue to have to work to compete at the highest level.

What are your favourite moments at club and country level so far?

I have several favourite moments at Arsenal Ladies FC but if I have to highlight one it would be winning the UEFA cup in 2006/07 season. My favourite moment for England so far has to be qualifying for the World cup and reaching the World Cup quarter finals.

What's next for you outside football?

Outside of football I hope to pursue a career in journalism in print and broadcasting in the field of sports.


Many thanks to Alex Stone of the Football Association for arranging this interview.

http://londonist.com/2008/07/interview_anita_asante_of_england_a.php

[redrobin]

Sky Blue FC Selects Asante in Discovery Process
October 03, 2008
by Sky Blue Soccer

Sky Blue FC – the New Jersey/New York entry into Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) – officially announced today that the club has acquired the negotiating rights to international player Anita Asante of England. The rights to Asante were acquired through the WPS post-draft discovery process.

Including Asante, Sky Blue FC has now acquired the negotiating rights to six international players. In the inaugural WPS International Draft, the New Jersey-based team picked Sarah Walsh of Australia, Rosana and Ester of Brazil, and Kelly Parker of Canada. Following that draft, Sky Blue FC added Collette McCallum of Australia as a post-draft discovery selection.

The international players join United States Olympic gold medalists Christie Rampone, Heather O’Reilly, and Natasha Kai as potential players for Sky Blue FC.

“Anita has rapidly become one of the top defensive players in the women’s game,” said Sky Blue FC General Manager and Head Coach Ian Sawyers. “We feel she will be a huge asset alongside Christie Rampone as the cornerstones in the Sky Blue FC defense.”

Asante has been a member of the England National Team since 2004. She played in every qualifying game leading up to the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup and then played every minute of her team’s four games at the World Cup as England advanced to the quarterfinal round before falling to the United States. She also played for England on the U-17 and U-19 youth levels, competing at the first-ever FIFA U-19 World Championship in 2002.

On the club level, Asante made news this past summer when she moved from England Women’s Premier League powerhouse Arsenal to Chelsea. Asante currently has Chelsea in second place in the league at 5-0-1 for 16 points while Arsenal stands atop the table at 7-0-0 for 21 points. During her time at Arsenal, Asante led the Lady Gunners to a stellar season in 2006/07 with a quadruple championship: the UEFA Women’s Cup, FA Women’s Cup, FA Women’s National Premier League championship, and FA Women’s Premier League Cup.

http://www.womensprosoccer.com/newsitem_ektid5436.aspx?team=ny

[shlj]

I wonder if she will go I am surprised no one from Everton has been picked yet, maybe next Monday

[Dezxoxo]

I wonder if she will go I am surprised no one from Everton has been picked yet, maybe next Monday

as am i..but im not complaining lol
i can see Fara will be picked

[John]

Some interesting news I found out about Anita during today's match. She's set to join the new US pro league.

[twmcat]

Some interesting news I found out about Anita during today's match. She's set to join the new US pro league.

I'd heard a rumour she was going, and had apparently made clear she wanted to go 

[idh1]

Yeah, I don't think it's a secret any longer that Anita is seriously considering the possibility of playing in the States.

I've spoken to Steve Jones about Anita on a number of occasions, but unlike Vic, he's always played his cards close to his chest regarding the draft picks - and bear in mind Eniola Aluko could possibly be in the second wave. Understandable, when he's trying to establish Chelsea as a major force in women's football.

If Sky Blue FC have spoken to Chelsea about Anita, pretty much like Arsenal - with the exception of Karen Carney - nothing's been agreed.

My understanding is that if Anita does go, he's hopeful Chelsea can work out a loan agreement where she can still turn out for the Blues when the US League is off season.