His problem was that he was too honest and that he couldn’t stand hypocrisy. The former Tottenham Hotspur and Cameroon defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto became a controversial figure after telling the press that he’s only playing football for the money, just like everyone stays in their job to pay the bills. But does he like football now, four years after his professional career has finished?These days, Benoit lives in France and plays for his local amateur team SC Saint-Nicolas-lez-Arras against players half his age. And he only plays for the love of the game!”Of course, I play for free! I like football even more when it’s amateur. Sometimes when I played professionally, I didn’t know really what was going on.”Lens 👉 North London #OnThisDay in 2006 @AssouEkotto moved to @SpursOfficial pic.twitter.com/iGqp3Ko4fR— Premier League (@premierleague) June 9, 2019 Speaking to The Athletic, the 37-year-old admitted that he now wonders if maybe he would have had a better career if he had said and done things that people wanted.”It’s not a regret, but I would like to see if I would have had the same career without being honest. It would be boring, definitely. Even the hair affected perceptions. I spoke with a stupid Italian club, but they didn’t sign me because their fans would find it hard to welcome someone with my hair. I would like to see what would happen in my career without being extravagant with my hair.”Although money was a motivating factor during his career – it doesn’t mean that he didn’t love playing nor that he wasn’t good at it.”All people, everyone, when they go to a job, it’s for the money. It’s a good job, and I don’t say that I hate football, but it’s not my passion. Did the other players agree with me? I’m sure, 200 per cent. When your agent calls and says a club is interested in you, the first question you ask is: ‘How much?’ It’s business.”Fri 23.00: (1.45) Lille (4.20) Metz (8.00)People aren’t used to hearing footballers speak so openly about their careers – even though most football fans know that the business side of the game dictates the ins and outs for just about every club in the world. But Assou-Ekotto holds fond memories about the game itself. Playing in the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League was a fun ride.”Now I realise football was a fantastic experience. No one can explain to you what it’s like to be on the pitch with 40,000 people and to score a goal or be part of a good team.””I felt he didn’t want to listen to anyone. I’d been there a long time and he didn’t really listen at all.”Benoit Assou-Ekotto loved working under Redknapp but it went sour under AVBBAE and I talked #THFC, money and loving football again as an amateurhttps://t.co/pd2wrO3TAL— Charlie Eccleshare (@CDEccleshare) February 17, 2022 Assou-Ekotto didn’t get along with Martin Jol, Juande Ramos and Andre Villas-Boas at the old White Hart Lane, but the successful spell under English boss Harry Redknapp was enough to lift Spurs to new heights.”Redknapp knew that we were men, that we were grown up. Do what you want, just be good for the game. As a professional, you have to know that if you go out on Friday, you won’t be good on Saturday. You can go to the restaurant but remember there is a game on Saturday.”If anyone doubted Assou-Ekotto’s dedication to the sport, they only have to have a look at his international career. Even though he grew up in France and was good enough to earn a Les Bleus call-up, Benoit only ever wanted to represent Cameroon, the country of his fathers. In total, he played 24 times for the Indomitable Lions, including the 2014 World Cup campaign.”You sleep before the game, and you can be sure all of Cameroon is going to watch you, and all of Africa is going to watch you. I don’t feel stressed before games, but I have to admit before World Cup games, I was thinking ‘Tomorrow – no mistakes. Tomorrow is very important not only for you, but for the whole country, for your family, for Africa’.”##EDITORS_CHOICE##He now lives a quiet life, but he admits that he wishes that he could still play in the Premier League. If nothing else, he’d return as a supporter.”It’s cool if the Tottenham fans loved me, but since I left I’ve never been back. One day I will come back with my kids. I hope one or two fans will remember me — I will keep my hair!”
