I wanted to play for Nigeria and not Ghana - Joetex Frimpong

Former Enyimba striker Joetex Asamoah Frimpong says he wanted to represent Nigeria and not Ghana during his time with the national team.

The 38-year-old was one of the most successful non-Nigerian players to ply their trade in the Nigeria Professional Football League with the Peoples’ Elephants between 2003 and 2006 and winning the Caf Champions League in 2003 and 2004 as well as two league titles, one Federation Cup, one Nigeria Super Cup crown and two Caf Super Cup titles.

Frimpong, who earned his first Ghana call-up in 2005 revealed that he was persuaded by his father to play for the Black Stars.

"My call-up came at the right time. In fact, I wasn’t expecting it because when you play for a club in Africa nobody watches you, mostly we want foreign players," he told Bryt FM.

"What I know is that, when you travel outside Ghana to Nigeria or Benin, you are a foreigner but, in our case, people think that when you are in Africa you are still a local player.

"Due to this, I was not expecting any call-up until they called me for U-23. Nigeria too approached me but my dad told me to represent Ghana. I was personally interested to play for Nigeria but it took my dad to convince me."

Frimpong made 11 appearances for Ghana and scored two goals. He was a member of the Black Stars squad at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt where they were knocked out of the group phase.