Former Bloemfontein Celtic goalkeeper Patrick Tignyemb has explained why he turned down offers from both Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates.
The Cameroonian shot-stopper spent over a decade with the Siwelele Samasele.
He helped the now-defunct Celtic win the Telkom Knockout Cup in 2012, under Clinton Larsen's leadership.
Following that season, Tignyemb claims he was approached by the Brazilians and the Buccaneers.
He didn't want to join Sundowns because he feared he wouldn't get game time due to the fierce rivalry in the goalkeeping department.
Meanwhile, he declined to sign for Pirates because he heard that players used “muti” to achieve the desired outcomes.
He also revealed that he elected to remain at Celtic when DRC giants TP Mazembe came calling.
TIGNYEMB ON WHY HE REJECTED PIRATES & SUNDOWNS
“I had several opportunities to leave Celtic, which included Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates, AmaZulu FC, and TP Mazembe,” reveals Tignyemb in an interview with KickOff
“Our guy in the office, Khumbulani (Konco), called me in several times and I told him to leave me alone because I don't want to go.
“My mind was settled on Celtic and my family settled in Bloemfontein, where four of my five kids were born.
“The one year I won all the awards at Celtic and Sundowns sought to get to me via Duncan Lechesa, but I refused.
“I was offered two to three times what I was earning at Celtic, but I still refused to go because my priority was playing.
“Being honest, I looked at the keepers at Sundowns and it didn't make sense for me to go there and sit on the bench regardless of the money that I was being offered.
“I still don't regret refusing to join Sundowns despite their offer. Pirates also came but I didn't like all the things that I heard were happening at that club.
“I'm not sure because I don't have the proof, but I heard a lot of stories that I didn't like about muti.
“Then came Congolese club TP Mazembe after the Macufe Cup, who offered me a salary of 10 million CFA franc (approx. R290 000), but I still refused.
“I couldn't leave heaven in South Africa to go ano live in a village in Congo even if the money was that good.
“How could I go and get bitten by mosquitoes and cockroaches when my kids were happy in Bloemfontein?
“I have no regrets at all about those decisions up this day because I'm happy here back home, where I have a house and a farm.”
