Former Ajax Cape Town chairman John Comitis regrets not accepting the signing-on fee for former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel who had been offered to them in December 2003.
Then a 16-year-old, Mikel arrived in Cape Town for a week-long trial spell and torched Ajax's Ikamva training grounds with some sublime touches that left everyone awestruck.
So impressive was Mikel that then Ajax coach Gordon Igesund had to briefly abandon the former Nigerian's first training session and stormed into Comitis’ office demanding that he signed the teenager.
Editors' Picks
“After about 20 minutes of training I told the players, ‘listen guys, I’ve got to dash somewhere but I’ll be back’.