Black Stars legend reveals how he SNUBBED Ghana Premier League elite clubs after FIFA World Cup
Ghana legend, John Paintsil has revealed how he snubbed the two most glamorous clubs in the country, Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko to join Liberty Professionals.
According to him, the two clubs sought his services but he moved to Liberty due to their unique playing style.
Paintsil says monetary advances were made to him by Herbert Mensah and Harry Zakour of Kotoko and Hearts respectively but Liberty’s project appealed to him more and also stressed that money was not the motivation for him at the early stages of his career.
“In 2000, after the U-20 World Cup in Argentina, Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko wanted me to play for them. I met both Harry Zakour and Herbert Mensah but I told them I don’t want to join any of those two clubs,” he told MAX TV.
“It was later that the late Alhaji Sly Tetteh came for me and I agreed. However, after playing for only six months, I had an offer to play in Israel which I accepted.
“I was not interested in any monetary gain in domestic football. I just wanted to play for fun devoid of tension. In those days, the display of scientific football by Liberty Professionals attracted me so much.
“That explains why I accepted to play for Alhaji Sly Tetteh. As I said earlier, their style of play suited me so much and when I signed for the club, the management style of the late Sly Tetteh also motivated me to stay with them but the offer from Israel ended my romance with Liberty Professionals prematurely.
“My reason for playing for Liberty was basically due to their sense of professionalism on and off the field,” he stressed.
He has also played for Berekum Arsenal, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Hapoel Tel Aviv, West Ham United, Fulham, Leicester City, Santos and Maritzburg United.
After the 2006 World Cup, Israeli international Yossi Benayoun recommended Paintsil to West Ham United manager Alan Pardew as the Premier League club was in need of a right-back.
In August 2006, West Ham completed the signing of the Ghana Internatioanl after a work permit was granted.
Paintsil was a member of the Ghana Under 21 team who were runner-up in the FIFA World Youth Championship in Argentina in 2001 and played for the senior team in the African Cup of Nations in Mali in 2002 and Egypt in 2006
Paintsil is now a technical team member of Ghana Premier League side, Legon Cities FC.
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