Stephen Appiah literally shed tears during an interview when he was asked why his son has chosen to follow his career path.
Rodney Appiah joined Ghana Premier League side Accra Great Olympics prior to the start of the second round of the 2020/21 football campaign.
The 19-year-old made his debut for the club in a 2-0 win over Liberty Professionals where he came on as a substitute.
According to the former Juventus and Fenerbahce midfielder, it was difficult he had to support his son’s decision to quit school and take up football but remains optimistic his son will do better than him, saying “it will be difficult for him to fail”, but I have advised him to have these qualities “determination, hard work, focus, discipline and passion.”
He said, at first, he wasn’t convinced but after speaking with his wife, they decided to support their son’s dream.
“Rodney is a student but at a point, he wanted to play football. At times he goes to school, comes back and he is moody so one day I sat him down I asked ‘why are you moody?’ and he said ‘I want to play football,” the former Ghana captain told TV3.
“So looking at the system here, it’s either you play football and quit school or quit football and go to school. I told him, Rodney ‘here the system is not like in Europe where you can combine both’ but still, he wanted to play football.
“One day I was at home with my wife, we had a chat and I told him about Rodney. She was a little bit [uncomfortable]… We spoke about it and one dawn I woke her up I said that I have taken the decision to support and help Rodney to play,” he revealed.
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He admitted that he envies Ghana great, Abedi Pele with his two children playing for the national team.
“I must say I envy Abedi Pele because I know the joy the man has when he is watching football [when Andre Ayew and Jordan Ayew are playing].. even though when my son is warming up, I feel the joy,” he said.
He said his relationship with caretaker coaches Yaw Preko and Godwin Attram helped secure trials for him at the club.
“The teenager impressed and was rewarded with the contract,” he added.