My Juventus career ended when I chose to play for Ghana at Olympic Games – Appiah

My Juventus career ended when I chose to play for Ghana at Olympic Games – Appiah

Stephen Appiah has revealed that his decision to play for Ghana at the 2004 Olympic Games ultimately cost him his career at Juventus.
   
   
   
       
       
           
               
                   

Stephen Appiah has revealed that his decision to play for Ghana at the 2004 Olympic Games ultimately cost him his career at Juventus.

               
           
               
                   

The 39-year-old secured a dream move to the Italian giants in 2003, but his stint with the Old Lady ended after just two years.

               
           
               
                   

Appiah has revealed that his decision to play for Ghana at the Olympic Games did not go down well with the Juventus hierarchy.

               
           
               
                   

According to the midfielder, he insisted on playing for his country, against the wishes of the club, and consequently lost his position in the team.

               
           
               
                   

READ ALSO: #StayHome: “Bored” Stephen Appiah forced to read due to COVID-19 lockdown

               
           
               
                   

                                   

Stephen Appiah played for Juventus from 2003 to 2005

               

               
           
               
                   

“Before the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Ghana sent an invitation to Juventus so the director then came to me and was like we’ve received your invitation but you’re not going, so I said director, I’m going to think about it,” Appiah told KOD in an interview on Instagram.

               
           
               
                   

“The next day after training they called me to the office, the powerful people in football. I was sitting in front of them scared because the least thing and you’re going to lose your contract. They asked me but I still told them I was thinking about it.

               
           
               
                   

“If I had said I was not going I was going to have problems with Ghanaians. So one day I gathered confidence and told them I want to go, they asked why but I said I’m playing for Juventus, I’m happy and everyone knows me but everything I do my country comes first. So I left and went to Athens.”

               
           
               
                   

He added: “When we finished and I came back that’s where I started having problems so I left Juventus because I chose to go to Athens to play for Ghana. That’s when I lost my position at Juventus. I had to find a different team and luckily Fenerbahce came in.”

               
           
               
                   

Appiah went on to enjoy a successful stint with Turkish giants Fenerbahce, where he won a host of titles.

Source: My Juventus career ended when I chose to play for Ghana at Olympic Games – Appiah

- gist culled from pulseng