Prince Tagoe opens up on 2010 World Cup goal drought

In all three group games that he featured, Tagoe was deployed on the right side of Ghana’s attack instead of the center-forward role that earned him the accolade, ‘Prince of Goals’.

The former Hearts of Oak striker who had a reputation of scoring for fun could not hit the net in any of the games and his performance in that unfamiliar role came under intense scrutiny by followers of the Black Stars.

It has been ten years on from the World Cup in South Africa and Prince Tagoe has opened up on his underwhelming performance in the games he featured.

Tagoe told TV3 that he would have preferred playing more centrally as a partner to then lead striker Asamoah Gyan instead of the wings where his potential was heavily under-utilized.

Though unhappy with the role, Tagoe says he could not complain as he had to play for the greater good of the team. He thinks he would have formed a great partnership with Gyan had they been paired.

“I was played out of my natural position at the World Cup. That wasn’t the case during the qualifiers. Because when you check the records, when we were playing the qualifiers, I was playing in my comfortable position, which is a striking role.

“In Ghana, if you are a striker known for scoring goals and the goals are no more coming, the fans will definitely come at you regardless of the position you are being played at. The coach (Milovan) told me “Prince, Asamoah is at the top and when you get the ball at the wings, make sure he gets it, and when you lose the ball, come back to the center or a little closer to the right-back”. So, most people didn’t know that was my job”.

“If the World Cup were to be held today, I will tell the coach to put me and Asamoah at the top. It will be a dangerous pair”.

Tagoe now 33, has been without a club for more than two years but he is not considering retirement as he eyes a return to Accra Hearts Oak, the place where he enjoyed great success as a player.

In 36 Black Stars features, Tagoe managed 7 goals.