I am Anthony Obodai, the Ghanaian footballer with the Dutch team Sparta Rotterdam.

It has always been my principle not to go public with my private life and in keeping in line with that tradition I chose not to make public the private issues surrounding my proposed move to the English Championship side Luton last month.

It was the manager of Luton Mr. who decided to speak vaguely about the issue when he said: ?we can't be having someone's missus (wife) controlling what happens at the football club so it won't be going any further.?

But my wife Desiree Obodai chose to hire the services of the PR company FIRE MEDIA UK to attack my integrity and to make me look bad before Ghanaians and my fans throughout the world, for the comments made by the manager of Luton. But all the clever packaging cannot obscure the tawdry truth beneath.

I initially decided not to respond to her allegations because I thought we would be playing our private lives into the hands of the public and especially marring the image and reputation of our innocent daughter in future.

But the response I have had from my extended family in Ghana and my friends following Desiree?s statement has prompted me to clear the air and clear my image on the allegations levelled against me as anybody who has an ounce of humanity would feel pretty wretched about it.

It is on this basis that I make the following statements:

1. That the allegations levelled against me are wholly inaccurate. I have never been a violent person in any of my dealings since I was child, in my previous relationships let alone put my finger on the mother of my daughter.

2. That I have always maintained with her that I will not be forced to be in contempt of court as I will answer to all her made-up stories when we meet in court on the 6th of December 2005 in the UK.

3. That she has failed to reveal the violence he has meted out against me when we were living together in Holland. Early this year she hit me with a bottle resulting in a serious injury to my head which was treated by the doctors of Ajax Amsterdam, the team I played for at the time. Her rudeness and insults to the staff at Ajax especially to coach Ronald Koeman, someone has treated me as his son, is well documented.

4. That upon all these tantrums I was ready to forgive for us to live as a family but she had other ideas.

5. That she is a money-grabbing woman and wanted to cash-in on my move to Luton. She demanded that I give 40% of my contract sum with Luton before she gave me the documents to enable me get the work permit to play in Luton.

6. That I declined her request shattering to ambition to grab money and that has made her furious because she thought I will not sign for a team before the transfer window shuts.

7. That I thank God that I was able to sign for Sparta Rotterdam where I am extremely happy and that he has revealed the type of woman I am married to. I also want to thank my extended family, the staff at Sparta Rotterdam and the fans for their support and words of comfort.

8. That I will not respond to her again as I have moved on and concentrating on my career here at Sparta Rotterdam and to fight for a position in my national team.

Thank you.

Signed
ANTHONY OBODAI
Sparta Rotterdam, Holland.