Europe move cost me Sundowns spot – Sumaila

The Kotoko guardsman has revealed he left the Brazilians for Ghana League champions Kotoko after failing to force his way out to Europe.

Asante Kotoko defender Rashid Sumaila has revealed the circumstances surrounding his return to Ghana after a successful maiden season in South Africa.

Sumaila, who won the South African top-flight league with Mamelodi Sundowns, was not registered for the first half of the 2014-15 PSL season and insists it was not due to performance, but a botched move to Europe after the World Cup.

“I wanted to move outside the country [South Africa] after the World Cup and my agent told Sundowns that I will not be available for them this season after he had secured two clubs outside for me. One was in Belgium and the other in Turkey but the sad thing is all the negotiations couldn't go as planned,” Sumaila told Goal Ghana.

“The price tag was a problem for the clubs so I couldn't move but all these while Sundowns were also busy finding my replacement so I couldn't register for them. I cannot blame anyone at the club because they were aware I'm almost out but I need to be playing games after all these issues in South Africa so I opted for Kotoko but it is somehow worrying to meet a difficult situation also here in Ghana.

“The league has not started and we don't know when it will start but we are playing international friendlies and I believe it will put us in shape to await the commencement of the league,” the defender added.

Sumaila has won two different league trophies in succession with Kotoko and Mamelodi Sundowns.