Tottenham Hotspur teen Persis Martha Oteng snubs England & Germany; wants to play for Ghana

Budding talent Persis Martha Oteng is eligible to represent England, Germany and Ghana but the precocious teen is desirous to represent the African country as an international.

The 16-year-old striker, who plays for Tottenham Hotspur Women U21, is clear about where her allegiance lies- to play for the Black Queens.

She was born in Oberhausen, but moved to London in the summer of 2017 when she was 11 years old.

Affectionately called P by her club mates, she started playing football in Germany with a boys’ team called SC Buschhausen and then to Tottenham where she’s coming through the ranks.

Both parents are from Ghana; her father is a traditional ruler (the Omanhene of Twifu Hemang traditional area in the Central Region) and mother from Kwahu.

Despite rooting for England’s Lionesses to win the 2022 UEFA Women’s Euro tournament on home soil, Persis’ heart belongs to land of her parents.

She told GHANASoccernet.com: ”The England squad did very well to win the euros but I have decided to join the national team purely to help my nation due to the bond and the roots of my family.”

The 5’6 goal poacher is quick to water down suggestions she’s angling to play for Ghana because she is not good enough to earn call-ups from powerhouses England and Germany.

Persis replied: ”I never had the opportunity to play for the European national teams because I started playing at an older age. Furthermore, moving from one country to another also contributed to it.”

Persis is ready to honour a Ghana call-up.

She added: ”I think that I have the skills and the God given talent to play for this great Nation. I have the speed and the versatility to assist and score which makes me a threat and difficult to defend against.”

Recently, Ghana Football Association Executive Council member Sammy Anim Addo watched her in training and also bag a brace in a league match for her side.

The Young Apostles chief could not help but rhapsodise the talent in a Tweet.

He posted: ‘Thanks to my boss @kurtokraku decision that we should scout for more Gh Talents born in Europe. It’s time we make good use of such talents before it’s too late. In this pic is a U.21 match last week I witnessed, she scored 2 ⚽️ . Next is the 6 goals video, watch this space 🙏🏿.”

This is Sundays special ; I saw her video on a friends fone in London , SHE SCORED 6 GOALS in a match on her 16th birthday for Tottenham U.16 Team . I decided to follow up, so I visited their training grounds and true true , Ghana has this amazing Talent , Persis Martha Oteng . pic.twitter.com/u5KLVnBBms

— Sammy Anim Addo (@AnimSammy) October 9, 2022

That surprise visit could be the elixir Persis needed in her career as it will go a long ago to fuel her ambitions.

”I was very shocked to see Mr Anim at the training ground but also very happy because I have been working hard to try and improve and prepare myself for any opportunities that come my way. He said that he’s seen my video and my name pop up several times on he’s radar and he wanted to see me train and play which was nice,” she disclosed.

Ghana’s men national team have been lucky with nationality switches but the same cannot be said for the Black Queens and the other junior female national teams as naturalised players have failed to make impacts.

US-born Mimi Osei-Agyemang [now Mimi Nartey] was the pioneer to be drafted into Ghana’s at age 16 and played at the 2003 FIFA Women’s World.

Nine years later, her younger sister Candice Osei-Agyemang, also born in the US, represented Ghana at the 2012 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup.

Just recently, the likes of Sharon Simpson [born in Tamale but grew up in Sweden] made the cut for the 2022 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica but German-born full back Malika Ama Mamadou was dropped from the provisional list.

Persis Martha Oteng is yearning to play for Ghana as an international

Persis remains unperturbed and she’s brimming with confidence that she can change the script.

”I have been training vigorously to get an opportunity like this [to play for Ghana] and I know that I’m ready to give my all for this great country and I know that with the vision of Mrs Mercy Tagoe [Black Queens coach], she will bring out the best in me and the team,’’ she confidently said.

But Persis knows she has a long way to go.

”My aim is to break into the first team and make a difference or an impact,” she disclosed.

”Throughout my football experiences the Brazilian captain Marta has always amazed me with her tricks so I would happily say she inspires me a lot.”

Ms Oteng is eye-catchingly quick on the ball, powerful enough to create space, deft enough to leave defenders grasping at the ones she has vacated.

”As a player, I have the speed which aids me a lot in counter attacks and turn overs,’’ she explained.  ”Furthermore, my ability to use both my feet to shoot is another strength of mine. I also have the stamina and the skills to take on two or more players at once, and I am very versatile on the pitch.”

When everything is done and dusted, Persis wants to study medicine as she continues to take her studies seriously.

ghanasoccernet