Saturday, August 19, 2006
So that's that sorted, then.
from ghanaweb.com
Paintsil fights to keep his real name
JOHN PAINTSIL is desperate to prove he is NOT Pants — after having his name spelt wrong on his West Ham shirt.
Clumsy Hammers officials put PANTSIL on all the Ghana defender’s kit and paperwork — including his contract.
But the 25-year-old says he is now ready to make a name for himself by starring in the Premiership.
Paintsil, a £1million signing from Hapoel Tel Aviv, said: "On my shirt, in the papers, on everything I see and even in my contract, I’m always called Pantsil — but my name is Paintsil. They always forget I have an ‘I’ in my name.
"It’s very frustrating but I will try not to get upset because I have only just arrived at West Ham. But my aim for this season is to make sure the fans spell my name right.
“Things have been great since I joined. The people are nice. They respect me as a footballer and as a person. The fans have also been amazing and, hopefully, I can be a great player for them.
"West Ham are a big club with a big support and that gives me a greater vigour to do well in the Premiership.
"A lot of the players at the club have huge futures, like Dean Ashton and Nigel Reo-Coker. I hope to be one of the them.
"I think I could be one of the best players in the world one day."
Paintsil revealed his Chelsea pal and fellow Ghanaian Michael Essien convinced him to join the Hammers.
He added: "Michael said I could do well at West Ham.
"He said the Premiership was the best league in the world and West Ham were a great club.
"Now I am here I can understand what he means."
Paintsil fights to keep his real name
JOHN PAINTSIL is desperate to prove he is NOT Pants — after having his name spelt wrong on his West Ham shirt.
Clumsy Hammers officials put PANTSIL on all the Ghana defender’s kit and paperwork — including his contract.
But the 25-year-old says he is now ready to make a name for himself by starring in the Premiership.
Paintsil, a £1million signing from Hapoel Tel Aviv, said: "On my shirt, in the papers, on everything I see and even in my contract, I’m always called Pantsil — but my name is Paintsil. They always forget I have an ‘I’ in my name.
"It’s very frustrating but I will try not to get upset because I have only just arrived at West Ham. But my aim for this season is to make sure the fans spell my name right.
“Things have been great since I joined. The people are nice. They respect me as a footballer and as a person. The fans have also been amazing and, hopefully, I can be a great player for them.
"West Ham are a big club with a big support and that gives me a greater vigour to do well in the Premiership.
"A lot of the players at the club have huge futures, like Dean Ashton and Nigel Reo-Coker. I hope to be one of the them.
"I think I could be one of the best players in the world one day."
Paintsil revealed his Chelsea pal and fellow Ghanaian Michael Essien convinced him to join the Hammers.
He added: "Michael said I could do well at West Ham.
"He said the Premiership was the best league in the world and West Ham were a great club.
"Now I am here I can understand what he means."
