Former Accra Hearts of Oak SC player Sam Johnson has offered advice to Ghanaian players, suggesting that they prioritize financial rewards when considering their football careers.
Johnson emphasized that players should be open to opportunities in lesser-known leagues that offer substantial monetary compensation.
He highlighted the example of the Saudi Arabian league, stating that even if a player secures a lucrative deal in a lesser-known league, such as Bangladesh, they should not dismiss it based on the league's reputation.
”If you get a lucrative deal to the Saudi Arabian league for instance and you say you don’t like it because it’s a less known league, but you want to play in a top European league, you will retire and come home with virtually nothing,” he told Graphic Sports.
”As for me, if a Ghanaian is even going to play in the Bangladesh league, I don’t care provided they would pay him well because at the end of the day if he retires and make all the name but without money, people won’t respect him.
”A lot of people have made names for themselves in this country but because they don’t have money, people don’t respect them.”
“How are they honouring our big men in football, what kind of respect do we give them?, but if they are rich, they are respected,” he said.
”Even now they respect junior players more than senior ones because they have the money” and added that ”once a player is good to get his big money and come back to take care of himself, I don’t have any problem with that.”