I made a huge mistake…

Thomas Kwenaite: How did you feel after the Black Stars qualified for the Afcon last week?

Edwin Gyimah:

It was really good for them considering how they initially struggled when the qualifiers started and drew a couple of matches but in the end came through to end up top of their group. They made life difficult for themselves, but in the end, their pedigree came shining through. I am proud of their achievements and wish them the best of luck at the tournament finals in Cote d’Ivoire.

TK: How do you fancy their chances at the finals next January?

EG:

The hardest part was to qualify. Now it’s going to come down to preparations. The coach knows what he has to do with the other teams they will be drawn up against. He knows their plans and what they have to do. Obviously they will have to prepare thoroughly in order to do well. So, it is going to boil down to how they prepare and put their focus in order to achieve positive results for the country.

TK: Personally, you have been snubbed for so many years…

EG:

I do not feel any animosity towards the selectors. To be honest, I’ve had my fair chances and am grateful and proud to have been given an opportunity to represent the country. But Ghana is such a big country with so many talented players. There are, on a daily basis, more talented youngsters battling to come up and they need to be encouraged to come up and take over the baton. For me, I don’t really think about that (being snubbed) because I fulfilled some of my ambitions in my career and in my life.

TK: Do you still remember your first match for Ghana?

EG:

I think it was a friendly match against Mauritius and if my memory serves me well, my first official match for the Black Stars was against Togo. And yes, I recall that I played very well and felt proud of myself. The thing is as a player you always dream about representing your country, but sometimes we do not get the chance to feature in global tournaments. For me, at least I got a chance to show what I could do on a global stage and I remain grateful.

TK: To this day, many people are still surprised about why you left Orlando Pirates, with some saying a bust-up with then coach Muhsin Ertugral led to your decision to leave. What happened?

EG:

I’ve spoken about it several times in the past, but truth is I was young and still growing up. Sometimes as a young player, with things going well, you get caught up with the wrong crowd and come to being illdisciplined. I lost focus and for me, I did not feel like I really understood the local culture and traditions. I did not understand the South African way of life and how to relate to certain things because it is much more important coming from a foreign country to socialise and embrace the local culture and personalities around you. That was the mistake I committed. Also, the decisions I took at that time failed me.

TK: You sound remorseful. EG:

Sekhukhune United have lost twice in five league games so far in the current season. They have also adopted an impressive approach to every game with their style of play beautiful and pleasing to the eye. One of Babina Noko’s standout players has surprisingly been Edwin Gyimah. Not too long ago considered the Bad Boy of South African football, the bulky centreback is displaying remarkable maturity and credits Brandon Truter for his maturity and influence in the team. In this interview with Soccer Laduma’s Thomas Kwenaite, Gyimah opens up on one regrettable error of judgement in his career and in his life, what led to that frightening war dance routine, akin to the haka, which went viral after defeating Kaizer Chiefs, who his best coach has been, and much more…

That is true, yes. We are often cautioned that the beginning of wisdom is to acknowledge your errors. I made mistakes like any human being would do. But as a person, you sometimes sit down and analyse where you went wrong, admit the mistakes you committed or where you went off the rails and if you are honest with yourself, you accept your shortcomings and move forward. I made a huge mistakes leaving Pirates at a time when I was on top of my game and considered among the top performers at a club with such a rich tradition and history. By leaving, I let it all fall away.

TK: You always seem motivated whenever you play against Bucs.

EG:

It’s true. I always say that when you play against these big teams, you need to bring your A-game to the table. There are certain games where you need to come up with your A-game because the team you are playing against is a well-drilled and well-organised team with matured and quality players, the kind that know how to control the tempo of the game, know what they need to do to win! I know Pirates, I know how they are and I know their mentality. I know the way they play with a lot of enthusiasm, especially when the supporters are around. When you play such teams, you can also adopt that same mentality. I’ve been there before, I come from that environment and I know sometimes how they put their work-rate, even though I’m no longer there at their training when they prepare. But I have an idea what goes on there and when you play Pirates, (Kaizer) Chiefs or (Mamelodi) Sundowns, you cannot afford to slack one bit. You gotta be on top, whether mentally or physically, otherwise you lose the game.

TK: Tell us about playing in the Soweto Derby.

EG:

I wish every player could experience it. The derby is the biggest in the country and among the biggest in Africa, even though Sundowns now have also come in. But to play in the Soweto Derby is a massive boost for one’s career. The atmosphere is something else. The stadium is packed to capacity and the intensity is unbelievable. You have to concentrate fully in the derby and if you really say you know the game, the derby affords you the platform to prove yourself because everybody is watching.

TK: SuperSport United is another former club of yours, and you scored against them recently. Were you making a statement? EG:

That particular game, we needed the points badly. We needed to win to qualify for the CAF Confederation Cup, so, I think during the game, each player could have scored because all the guys were so determined. It comes with a lot of responsibility and pressure because at the end of the day, we didn’t want to draw or lose the game. It was, for us, “all or nothing”. If we drew or lost that game, we were going

to drop slightly on the log standings. That was the last game of the season and the points were crucial with many teams breathing down our necks! I was happy I got the goal from that game and it boosted our chances of qualifying for Africa.

TK: You spent time in Sweden. How was the experience?

EG: It was a beautiful experience playing in Sweden for Helsingborg. It was good and when I arrived, the team had been doing really well. I think the position where they were and what they became was a massive boost for us. I enjoyed my time and I played some wonderful football there. In retrospect, it was part of growing up and gaining the kind of experience that develops you as a player and as a person.

TK: Some people say you are a hard man, while others claim you are a dirty player. Which description fits Edwin

Gyimah?

EG: I think, for me, my game has always been based on hard work. I train the same way that I play. When you see me play, that is the way I train. There are no half-measures about me. The day there is something wrong with me or I am not putting in the shift or exerting myself enough, I’m sure my coaches would be the first to notice. If I am not feeling well, the coaches would also notice because I always put in 100% effort in training or in a match – that is how I am. I respect the game and never want to cheat the game. In this way, it is easy for my coaches to notice if there is something wrong with me. If my performance is down, they will also notice because I am such an open book. Hard work has been part of my game throughout my career. I don’t give up and I always keep pushing, no matter the situation. The day I let myself down and the day I reduce my work-rate is the day when I will be off the game. That will also be a sign that maybe I need to hang up my boots!

TK: Football is a contact sport. Would you say sometimes referees target you because of your reputation? EG: I wouldn’t say referees target me. As players, there are a lot of different characters and personalities on the field. Some players are soft and some are hard, so with me, obviously I know the referee will be looking out for me. They probably say, “Ok, this guy is hard, so let me keep an eye on him to see whether he deliberately goes out of his way to injure others.” I always try and make sure I keep that aspect (deliberately going over the top) away from their minds. The fact that I used to be very hard, there are a lot of tackles that I would feel that sometimes they were unnecessary. But growing up and being more matured, I’ve mastered my technique by trying to check all these things and ensure I don’t get someone hurt. I simply try to win the ball cleanly and make good use of it.

TK: Which coach has helped you as a player?

develop

EG: There are countless coaches that I’ve worked under and I can’t single out one, but there are coaches that are in my heart. They remain special throughout my career, each one of them has played their part to mould and develop me into the person that I am today. I know of the relationships and the experiences that I’ve had with each coach. Coach (Brandon) Truter has become one of the coaches that have a special place in my heart. Then there is Gavin Hunt – I will never forget this man. There is also Maxwell Konadu, the former Ghana Black Stars coach. There are certain coaches that, throughout my career, have understood me on and off the field. Sometimes I felt people really didn’t understand me, but these coaches understood and gave me a chance, with Truter going the extra mile. I feel he has transformed me.