Former Hearts of Oak player Joe Tagoe admits to age cheating

Former Hearts of Oak midfielder Joe Tagoe, popularly known as Bobby Short, has admitted to falsifying his age during his football career.Tagoe revealed that he reduced his age from 35 to 19 in 2017 to secure a spot with an Egyptian under-19 team, blaming poverty and an unfair system for his decision.”I was home and received a call from Francis Martey about an offer for an under-19 player,” he shared on ATV. “Looking at my height, I said okay. At that time, I was about 34 or 35 years old. Poverty can make you do such things, and the system isnt fair to us.”Training with the younger players took a toll on him, with the physical demands nearly endangering his health. “I would have died if I hadnt taken care of myself,” he admitted. “I trained with both the senior team and U-20s, but the running with the U-20s always left me dizzy.”Tagoe went to great lengths to hide his age, even dyeing his grey hair daily. Eventually, the intense pressure forced him to quit. Reflecting, he added, “Many players like me face similar situations.”