Former Accra Hearts of Oak forward, Bernard Don Bortey, has announced his retirement from football according to reports.

Bortey played for Hearts for 9 years and won 4 Ghana Premier League titles and the CAF Confederations Cup in 2004.

He also played in Vietnam, Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

Bortey told Goal.com in an interview that he was sad that he could not get the very top of his game but he wanted to impact the next generation of players from the dugout.

“I’m not God. Maybe where I reached was the stage God wanted me to finish it for someone to come and continue. I have pain in me but it’s past,” he said.

“I have to put it behind me because I have three kids who are all playing football, so I have to focus on pushing them. I could not do it but maybe they can do it for me,” the winger added.

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“I want to be a coach now. I’ve retired. I was not 100 per cent sure but I have done it.

“I’m still playing football but not competitively. I don’t want to play any more competitive leagues like the Ghana Premier League because I have made the name already.

“Everybody knows my name in Ghana football. So I have to leave for the young ones to take over. Now, I’m a coach. I’m not a footballer anymore. I’ve retired.”

Bortey won the Ghana League top scorer in 2002 with 18 goals for Hearts of Oak and was considered to be one of the most prominent players of his generation.