My managers spent all the money I gained from football – Awudu Issaka laments

Former Ghanaian international Awudu Issaka has alleged that the people who handled and managed his professional career after the U-17 World Cup in 1995 spent all the monies he gained in football.

The Ecuador 1995 U-17 World Cup winner, in an interview with Frank Osei Owusu (Winter) on Onua FM in Accra, said he didn’t receive any money for playing for Belgian side RSC Anderlecht and France side AJ Auxerre because he didn’t know how to read and write.

He said he couldn’t figure out what the contract he signed entailed.

Awudu Issaka alleged that the benefits went to his managers instead of him.

The dribbler of his time, however, refused to mention the names of the people who took charge of his career at that tender age.

He lamented that after all his spectacular performances in 1995 and 1997 youth championships, he was never invited to the senior national team, the Black Stars, for him to showcase his talent.

“Coach Sam Arday discovered and registered me for the Under 17 championships,” he said in Twi. “So if we allow coaches to select their own players without any interference from big people in football, our juvenile teams will perform as expected.”

Sharing his plight with listeners, Awudu Issaka, nicknamed The Disco Dancer, also advised up and coming footballers to take their education very seriously so they don’t become victims to people like his former managers.