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Hearts of Oak midfielder Frederick Ansah Botchway has revealed that his first salary as a professional player was 200 cedis and that he nearly gave up on his footballing career because of poverty.
Botchway, a former player of Liberty Professionals says the lack of financial support in his early years as a footballer almost made him forget about pursuing his dreams.
The attacking midfielder in a live chat with Saddick Adams narrated that his first ever club never paid him a salary or winning bonus for three years until Liberty Professionals came calling.
He went further to reveal that after receiving his first salary of 200 cedis he was very excited since his hustle finally earned him something although a meagre amount.
Ansah Botchway was sharing the story of how the financial challenges he endured in the early part of his career almost made him quit.
He said he regularly had to trek a from his place of abode in Ablekuma to Darkuman for training because he could not afford the cost of transport.
He shared these challenges with Saddick Adams in a Live chat.
“I had contemplated quitting football several times. There were periods that I almost gave up. Imagine walking from Ablekuma to Darkuman to train everyday. You don’t even have 1 cedi in your pocket to board a car”.
“The club I was playing, there was no salary, no winning bonus for three years. I just wanted to play and make a mark”
“At a point, I packed my things to stay in a mission house because it was closer to my club training base”
”The mission house became my home. When the church folks cook, I get some to eat.
“That’s how I survived. When Liberty signed me, my salary was 200 cedis and I was very excited for the first time.”
source: Football Made in Ghana
