Atta Mills, Kufuor advised me to ditch FC Koln move for school - Hearts of Oak legend reveals

Former Hearts of Oak defender, Joe Addo, has disclosed that late president Evans Atta-Mills and former president John Agykum Kufour advised him to combine school with football but also place emphasis on the latter.

According to Addo, he had received a scholarship from an American University and also had an offer from FC Koln in Germany.

He said after consulting Atta Mills, who was then the Vice Chairman of the club, he was convinced to go to school because football is relatively short-term.

He added that, when he put his dilemma to Kufour, who was chairman of Hearts' rival Asante Kotoko, he did not hesitate to tell him to take the school offer.

Joe Addo also indicated that the two former presidents gave him money to cover all expenses for the trip to the United States of America, where he has lived ever since.

"I had the scholarship during my last days at Hearts of Oak...But at the same time, I was at the Black Stars and our coach Burkhard Ziese had linked me with a team in Germany, FC Koln. The contract came at the same time and I didn't know what to do. I wanted to go to school because of my father but also wanted to play football because of my mum. She was a market woman and she was popular because her son Joe Addo is a footballer. My dad wasn't like that so I was confused," he told Dan Kwaku Yeboah TV YouTube.

"Back then our vice-chairman (Hearts of Oak) was Atta Mills. I went to him and told him that this is what I've received. He said I will be done with soccer in about 10 to 15 years time but school is forever, so I should go to school. He gave me money for my ticket and everything to go to school. I wasn't only him, back then our ex-President JA Kufour was Kotoko chairman and I used to visit him a lot. So I also spoke to him about it and he said' Joe, you worry us too much so go for us to be free'. He gave me money and also paid for my ticket. That is how I came to America.

Despite focusing on school, he was getting invitations to play for the Black Stars.

"So I played for the national team while I was in university."

Joe Addo is one of the most revered Ghanaian defenders in history. He played 6 years at Hearts of Oak before departing for school.

He was a member of Hearts of Oak's famous Musical Youth group of the 1980s.




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