Interview: Q&A with Sundowns striker Emmanuel Baffour

Ghana striker Emmanuel Baffour had a frustrating spell in his first season at Mamelodi Sundowns. 

The 2011/2012 Ghana Premier League top scorer made only two appearances for the Brazilians after a promising move from New Edubiase United.

He has been speaking to MTNFootball.com on his future and on Sundowns' pre-season training in Ghana. First do you feel disappointed with the way things went for you this season at Sundowns? 

No, I don't feel disappointed. You know as a soccer player, you have to face a lot of difficulties.

If you travel to a different country you are going to face a lot of problems but I hope as time goes on,I’m a soccer player -the way I was playing I can do that soon.

Was it a case that you could not meet the standard at Sundowns? 

No. There is no standard. Sundowns club-I don’t know-they are supposed to give us the chance to play.They sign a player to play and as you can see me and my brother(Mumuni Abubakar) are not playing. So they have disappointed the up and coming young ones. You travelled to South Africa as the Ghana Premier league goal king .Did that one put a lot of pressure on you to perform? I did not have any pressure on me. I know how to play my football and I know how to comport myself.You know if you travel to a different country you are going to learn.

It is not about pressure on me but is about not giving me the chance to play.

You were signed by coach Johan Neeskens and he was sacked by the club.Did the change in coach affect you? 

Every coach has his philosophy.The day the coach came to Sundowns he said he was going to give everyone the chance to play but he did not.

You don’t know if the coach wants you or not for the next season because you cannot stay there and train and train without getting active playing time and match fitness. So I am just praying that if they cannot use me for next season,they should let me go on loan or something.

How will you describe the South African League.You played two times for the club.Did the league meet your expectation as a player? Yeah the league has grown.The PSL has grown and now they play pressing football and has changed so much.

What can Ghana copy from South Africa? Every country has its tactics and style of football and I cannot say much because I don’t know about the Ghanaian coaches in Ghana.

Do you still have a future with Mamelodi Sundowns? I don't think I have a future with Sundowns because as you can see we haven't got the chance to play because the time the coach came to Sundowns he sais he will give everybody the chance but nothing has changed.

I'm praying that the coach will give us the chance next season to play and I can do what I was doing before.

Would you mind returning to the Ghana league to regain your former form? 

Yeah its  football. I have seen a lot of players go outside and suffer like the way I m suffering now but have come back and playing good.I will take somebody like Emmanuel Clottey.He went outside came back and played good and now he is outside again. What lessons have you learnt so far as a player the last twelve months? 

I have learnt a lot of things about football.

As a soccer player you don't have to rush things. You have to have patience and not think about money or you will end your career.

Do you think in your case you rushed in going abroad may be you could have stayed for more years to play for Edubiase,Kotoko or Hearts of Oak? 

I have played a lot of clubs in Ghana (three clubs) and I have been in the Glo Premier League for  years and I think I have to change environment that is why I went to South Africa to play but you can see that I didn't have much playing time there. What should we expect from you next season? Next season,I am praying that if Im still with Sundowns the coach will give me the chance to play so I can show what I can do.

If a coach gives a chance you have to take it and I hope he gives me the chance to play.

Sundowns will in Ghana for a pre-season. What would you to tell them. It’s for one week we understand? 

They are welcome to my country.Ghana is  a peaceful country and when they come they will see a lot of things.I know they will play big clubs like Kotoko,Berekum Chelsea and Hearts and so they are preparing for next season.