Samuel Osei Kufuor one day sat at the restaurant at Bayern Munich's training complex and smiled: "my dream has come true".

The 24 year old has been with Bayern for about seven years, the club that has won a record number of German championships. "I am with one of the world best clubs and that makes me very proud," he told a sports journalist. The risk I took as a youngster has paid off. Kufuor grew up in Kumasi at 13 years of age he left school with the aim of becoming a professional footballer and to play in one of Europe s top leagues. Kufuor staked all in one throw. And he won.

"My three sisters were mad at me for breaking off my education. There was very little money available in the Kufuor household despite the fact that Samuel's father who worked at Toronto Airport in Canada, regularly sent dollars home to his family. But in the end my parents were unable to pay for my schooling", Kufuor says. Kufuor who was working at a shoe factory in Kumasi, at that time subordinated everything to football.

He joined a small club and not long afterwards he has spotted by scouts. A meteoric rise then followed. In 1991 at age 14, he won the U- 17 world Championship with Ghana, changed club a year later by signing on for the Italian club AC Torino, reached the final of the U-17 World Championship in 1993 when he played in this tournament for the second time in the same year made his debut in the same national team at 16 years of age.

Today, Kufuor is one of the world s best defenders. He has attained wealth and respect in Ghana and has become the idol of thousands and thousands of youngsters. "Its wonderful to be successful and popular," says Kufuor.

There is no denying the fact that sportswriters and presenters couched the growth and meteoric rise in popularity of Samuel Osei Kufuor. It has been said before and it may be said again, sportsmen and women. Maybe the question should never be asked in a balanced partnership, but when it comes down to it and the question is inevitably posed after all, the sportsmen and women particularly footballers, need sportswriters and presenters more than the latter need the former. Why, otherwise would sportsmen and women footballers especially, be falling over each other to count the friendship and sympathy of sports-journalists for publicity and propaganda.

Nobody can deny the promotional effect of sports journalists on footballers on their rise to the top. And yet, only a fraction has turned back to say thank you to these sports-journalists. The Kufuor statement in which he described sports-journalists as drop- outs and people he can pay is unfortunate. It is true some journalists live on Kufuor's generosity. It is true he might be paying some sports- journalists.

Those are the sports-jouralists Samuel Osei Kufuor should direct his remarks to. Nouveau riche Kufuor should know that the steps by which he climbed up are the same steps he would use in descending. And our colleagues should also know how to comport themselves. Respect is earned, not bought.