How Harry Zakour blocked Dong Bortey from playing for Kotoko despite signing for them
Ex-Hearts of Oak player, Bernard Dong Bortey
Legendary Ghana Premier League player, Bernard Dong Bortey has revealed a masterstroke move by Harry Zakour that prevented him from playing for Asante Kotoko.
Read full articleDong Bortey recounts in an interview with Dan Kwaku Yeboah TV that after his sojourn abroad with a Chinese club, his heart was set on a move to Asante Kotoko.
Dong Bortey details that the appeal of Asante Kotoko was due to the presence of his national under-17 teammates in the club, among other factors.
The crafty and skillful winger looked to have actualized that dream after signing for Kotoko and even playing in a friendly match but unbeknown to him, Accra Hearts of Oak were plotting their own move in Accra.
Bortey said that after signing the contract, he decided to come back to Accra to retrieve his registration card, only to realize that then Heart of Oak of the CEO, Harry Zakour had taken his card from Gapoha FC and registered him with the club.
“I went to Kotoko before joining Hearts of Oak. I trained with Hearts for three days but they didn’t let me play. I was playing football when Herbert Mensah parked his Tundra and introduced himself.
Most of my colleagues at the U-17 were already in Kotoko and Ablordey was there. After signing my contract and everything, I had to chase for my card. Harry Zarkour had apparently gone for my card.”
Prior to joining Hearts of Oak, Dong Bortey passed some negative remarks about the club and that did not sit well with Emmanuel Osei Kuffuor, who according to Bortey’s narrative confronted him when he first signed for the club.
“When I came to Hearts, Osei Kuffuor didn’t understand why I used to attack the club. The truth is that he was the only person I respected in the club. He was the only player better than me. The rest were zero.”
Dong Bortey also dismissed allegations by Asante Kotoko fans that he took money from the club and refused to sign for them.
“Those with no idea about the move think I defrauded Kotoko but that’s is not the case. They gave me money and other things I gave back to them after the move fell through. I gave the money, phone, car, and house back to them. I played a friendly match for Kotoko.”
At Hearts of Oak, Dong Bortey won the CAF Confederations Cup and multiple league titles. He established his name as one of the best players the country has ever produced.
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