Posted by Ghana and African football legend Ibrahim Sunday has revealed that his father wanted him to quit football in the early stages of his career.
Sunday, who in his playing days played as a midfielder enjoyed an illustrious career. He captained Kotoko to win the Africa Cup of Champions (now CAF Champions League) in 1970 and led them to another title in 1983 as a coach.
Ibrahim Sunday was named African player of the year in 1971, the first Ghanaian to do so. He also became the first African to play in the German Bundesliga (Werder Bremen).
All these astounding achievements would never have happened if he had listened to his father’s advice and if not for the intervention of his father’s friend.
The former African player of the year in a show dubbed “Tales from the Past Podcast” with Sheikh Tophic narrated the story.
“In the beginning, my father didn’t want me to play football…one day he called me and said he wants me to stop playing football because he thinks there is too much pressure in the game, Sunday told FootballMadeinGhana.
“He was sitting with his friends and my answer was well Daddy, you won’t tell me to do anything that I will say I won’t do, I agree I will stop but me too I want to beg you, to let me stop for one year and then continue.
“And then one of his friends said, Ahh of he is going to stop for one year and then start again, bless him to go and play his football, maybe one day the football is going to give him his daily bread.
“And my father said, is that so and he (his friend) said yes, and he (my father) said okay (my son) May Allah bless you, go and play your football. And you see where it has brought me”, he remarked.