Hearts of Oak legend Amankwa Mireku
Hearts of Oak legend Amankwa Mireku has advised footballers to be extra careful in their choice of a woman as a wife as it has the potential to make or unmake them.
Over the years, some Ghanaian footballers have been entangled in unfortunate marital stories with only a handful coming out with something to live on.
As a result, most of them have become destitutes who rely on the benevolence of some people to keep their heads above waters.
Amankwa Mireku believes the situation is as a result of players marrying or having girlfriends who are high above their pay grade.
He boldly stated on Asempa FM that 80% of Ghanaian footballers experience divorce after retirement.
Putting it in plain terms, the 2004 Confederation Cup winner said ‘most footballers don’t marry women of their size”.
He reckons that the fame and wealth that comes with playing football make them attractive to people of the opposite sex, however, only a few come in with genuine love.
He advised active footballers to pick a leaf from the riches to rag stories of some of their senior colleagues and invest wisely.
He urged them not to spend their money on luxurious things.
“Womanizing and alcoholism have ruined the lives of many footballers. We don’t take women of our size. When we are in the first division, we take first division women, second division, we take second division women and when we get a national team call up we also take ladies who fit that status and I think it does not help us.
“How many footballers stay with their wives after retirement?. I can say that 80% of us experience divorce after retirement because the fame and money are gone. It is something that current players should be careful with”.
Amankwa’s argument though not scientific, appears not to be far from the truth.
Six years ago a report by a charity organization that focuses on retired players said that 30% of footballers go through a divorce within a year of retirement.
The report by Xpro also revealed that forty per cent of former players declared bankrupt within five years.
