Former Hearts of Oak midfielder Glid Otanga has revealed the reason behind his decision to turn down a move to Asante Kotoko when approached by the Kumasi-based club.
According to Otanga, his strong bond with Hearts of Oak made it impossible for him to join their arch-rivals.
"I can never play for Kotoko because the feeling I have for Hearts of Oak is very special. Before I left Hearts of Oak, I was getting offers from Kotoko people that if I wanted to play, I could come because they needed me. To move from Accra Hearts of Oak to go to Kumasi Asante Kotoko? No, no, it would be a big case for me,” he told Ghanasportspage in an interview.
Otanga, who featured in 53 games for Hearts of Oak over two seasons and scored two goals, emphasized that his decision was not influenced by pressure from fans, as he is confident and unafraid of criticism. He acknowledged that some fans in Congo may have been disappointed by his decision to leave Hearts of Oak and join Al-Kharaitiyat SC in Qatar on a permanent deal.
"I've seen people in Congo criticizing me on social media for my move, but I don't care because these people can't feed me and my family when I am no longer playing actively," Otanga said. "Though I understand them because they wanted me to move to a big team in Europe because of my talent so that they can watch me, as a man, I make the choice and take responsibility for it.
The 23-year-old Congolese international's decision to reject Kotoko's offer was driven by his deep affection for Hearts of Oak, which he considers his family.
"Hearts of Oak is my family, and I can't leave them and go to Kumasi," Otanga declared.
Before joining Hearts of Oak, Otanga had previously played for Akonangui FC of Equatorial Guinea and Coton Sport FC de Garoua in Cameroon.
