Emmanuel Clottey: My best is yet to come

Sensational striker in the 2012 Confederation of African (CAF) Champions League, Emmanuel Clottey now of Esperance du Tunis, has hinted that his best is yet to come.

Speaking to this reporter at the Accra Sports Stadium after Ghana has beaten Malawi by two goals to nil, he said many fans expected him to score in that match, but he did not had a good chance to find the net, however the best of him is yet to come.

“I know people want me to bang in more goals. I know the fans wanted us to score at least three or four goals, but it was not easy. The Malawians were not just standing. They came to play football and they never allowed us to have our own way,” Clottey said.

He added: “It is good we won by two goals and I think our team is good. We are building up and I believe we can do more in the future. I am praying to have more playing time and I promise to deliver the goals.” The former Berekum Chelsea striker added: “My hero is Asamoah Gyan, and he inspires me a lot, so I am very glad to be playing with him. We played at the same colts team, Mighty Victory, before there was a problem and he left for Cedabs Babies. But we all played in Mamprobi and I am sure I will make it bigger like my other mentor, Stephen Appiah, the former captain of the Black Stars, who featured for Mighty Victory before joining Accra Hearts of Oak.”

Clottey who leads the African Champions League goal king race said he knows he is very young and there are more years for him to shine, so he does not want to rush and crush, so that when he is needed most, then he will not be available.

He expressed his joy to be in the current Black Stars, and praised coach Kwesi Appiah for giving him his chance. “I know football is a game of chances and you must pray for the chance to play and the chance to score,” he noted. Clottey hopes to shine alongside Black Stars defender Harrison Afful who stars at the defence of Esperance.

After his colts programme at Mighty Victory he joined Accra Great Olympics with whom he won the goal king, then went to Denmark for a short professional trial. He also played in Poland, before coming to Ghana to join Berekum Chelsea. His ambition is to play at the FIFA World Cup and hopes that Brazil 2014 would be his dream come true.

On the African Cup, he was not happy that Ghana has not won any trophy since 1982 and prayed that the Ghana Football Authorities will find a solution to the big issue.

Sportsinghana.com wishes Emmanuel Clottey all the best.Credit: