Former Asante Kotoko player, Emmanuel Amoako Agyemang, has shared details about the financial difficulties he encountered during his time in the Ghana Premier League.
In an interview with SVTV Africa, Amoako Agyemang disclosed that he was paid a modest monthly salary of GH₵500 during his tenure with Asante Kotoko in 2009.
The former player explained that he had harboured dreams of playing abroad because he aspired to lead a more comfortable life.
Agyemang elaborated that life in Ghana presented a range of challenges that motivated him to explore opportunities overseas.
When an opportunity arose to play in Thailand with a promised monthly salary of $1000, he was inclined to accept it, despite his agent’s initial reservations about the offered salary being relatively low.
Reflecting on this pivotal moment, Agyemang stated, “When I was in Ghana, I was earning ₵500 a month, but when I went to Thailand, I was being paid $1000 a month; this was in 2010. So, imagine being offered this money and asked which one to choose; I would definitely go for $1000.”
He further explained the significant difference in earnings, highlighting that at the time, $1000 equated to GH₵3000 per month, a substantial increase on his GH₵500 compared to his Kotoko salary.
Agyemang, who now resides in Germany, admitted that he even went as far as threatening to quit football if his agent didn’t allow him to sign the lucrative deal.
“My agent said the $1000 was more but I told him to stop ranting because I was being paid ₵500 a month at Kotoko. Those days $1000 was ₵3000 a month so a big difference of ₵2500,” he said.
Agyemang emphasised that players often migrate to clubs in other countries not because they prefer them, but because of the low wages in the Ghanaian league.