Former Black Stars midfielder and Udinese, Emmanuel Agyemang Badu has finally disclosed why he played few games for the Ghanaian top-flight side, Kumasi Asante Kotoko before leaving the shores of the country to play in Europe.
Badu, who scored the decisive penalty for the Black Satellites to win the U-20 World Cup twelve years ago against Brazil joined the Porcupines on loan from Berekum Arsenal during the 2008/2009 season.
He appeared in a few games for the GPL record winners due to his time with the national team, as disclosed by the Ghanaian legend.
The 31-year-old player was named in the Black Satellites squad for the 2009 African Youth Championship in Rwanda. He also played for the Black Stars’ domestic based team at the 2009 African Championship of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire and represented his team at 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt whiles playing for Asante Kotoko.
Agyemang-Badu joined a growing list of Ghanaian internationals including Sulley Muntari, Asamoah Gyan and Stephen Appiah who started their careers with Udinese.The midfielder who impressed during the 2009 U20 World Cup signed a four-and-a-half year deal with the Italian side.
Badu insists he has an unfinished business with the GPL side and the reason behind it was disclosed during an interview with Original Tv’s Sports Punch Show on Friday.
“I was playing for a Second Division side called Berlin FC that was changed to Eleven Wonders. I went to play six months on loan for Berekum Arsenal (from January to June).
“I couldn’t get the league how I wanted because from Second Division direct to the Premier League wasn’t easy. At that time you will see the likes of Isaac Vorsah, Helegbe. My pedigree was low.
“After the season I told my manager that I want to get a year loan deal at Berekum Arsenal so that I can do pre-season with them and taste the league again.
“I signed the loan deal again. Things went on well for me. After the loan I had to go back Berlin FC.
“Kotoko, Hearts of Oak, Tema Youth showed interest in me.
“Kotoko were dealing direct with Berekum Arsenal not knowing it was a loan deal.
“At that the late Yakubu Moro (may his soul rest in peace) requested 100,000 cedis.
“Their circles in Berekum notified the late Opoku Afriyie that I was playing on loan so they should go to Berlin FC whiles I was at the national team (U-20) after some tournament in South Africa.
“He called that they need me and I told my manager to let them bring the offer.
“Through that Mr. Odotei Sowah of Hearts of Oak also called from Accra. I also had a call from Mr. Kyeremeh who was handling Tema Youth at that time.
“I told Kotoko management that I will come to Kumasi on Monday but I swerved them to Accra to check the offers but later on I went back and I told my manager that no, we should discuss about a loan deal. Hearts and Tema were not convinced about the loan deal but Kotoko accepted it. My manager was a Kotoko fan.
“I was at the U-20 doing preparations. We sometimes prepare with the senior national team. At the same time the first edition of the CHAN tournament was introduced.
“You can spend three weeks in camp, the tournament too can take one month and after that they will give you some weeks to rest. That’s why for the six months deal I played only two games,” Badu disclosed
“After winning the U-20 tournament in 2009, the first game I played was against Hearts. We lost 2-1 in Kumasi. Following the defeat, the late Herbert Addo resigned.
“Coach Opele took over and we came to beat Tama Youth 2-0. After that game I didn’t go back to Kumasi but I went to play the CHAN tournament.
“The contract expired during the time I was with the national teams and Udinese came for me.
“This is the reason why I always say I have an unfinished business with Kotoko,” says Agyemang Badu.
