Former Ghana international, Godwin Attram claims his love for the country ruined his PSV Eindhoven career.
According to him, he suffered the consequences for deciding to feature for the Black Satellites in the 1999 Africa Under-20 Championship held on home soil.
Attrram had signed for the Dutch Eredivisie side as a teenager from Accra Great Olympics and was due to feature for the senior side but had to wait for his work permit as an adult in Holland.
He joined his national team colleagues to prepare for the Ghana ‘99 tournament instead of waiting to get his work permit, a decision he says cost him greatly at PSV Eindhoven.
Speaking on Starr FM’s Untold Stories series, Attram revealed PSV had plans of grooming him to replace Brazilian great Ronaldo Narazio Da Lima.
“I had a juicy contract with PSV Eindhoven. [After] two years with the youth side, [I] graduated to the senior side and also signed a five-year deal but I needed to wait in Holland for them to finalize my work permit because I was an adult,” he narrated.
Attram continued: “I was also called to help the Black Satellites in the Africa Under-20 Championship so we get qualification to the World Cup.
“I was torn between my country and my club but I chose to serve my nation and that cost me big time because there was a well cut out plan for me to become the next Ronaldo Da Lima.”
Godwin Attram did not get to feature in even a single match for PSV Eindhoven. He was sent out on loan to Danish side Silkeborg IF. He went on to play for clubs like Stade Tunisien, Al Shabab, Hatta Club, Smouha, Hajer and Dhofa before returning home to retire at boyhood club Great Olympics.
39-year-old Atrram remains in football running the Attram de Visser Soccer Academy as owner and head coach. In January this year, he was appointed as an assistant coach of Ghana’s Black Stars ‘B’ team.
