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Chiefs' new signing Kotei used to be called Frank Lampard

Cape Town - Recent Kaizer Chiefs signing James Kotei says he used to be nicknamed after legendary English footballer Frank Lampard due to his shooting ability.

The Ghanaian star joined the Glamour Boys from Tanzania's Simba FC, penning a three-year contract at Naturena.

Kotei is expected to compete for a place in the heart of midfield along with the likes of Willard Katsande, George Maluleka, Siphelele Ntshangase and Andriamirado 'Dax' Andrianarimanana.

The player also revealed to Chiefs' official website that it was an honour to join such a major club and he is committed to winning trophies.

The 25-year-old said: "I feel bad that this massive club has not won trophies recently. I arrived in Tanzania in 2016, where Simba had not won anything for four years, and we won the league and the FA Cup the same year.

"By the grace of God, I hope to win trophies and for Chiefs to return to winning ways.

"Back home people wished me luck. This is a big break for me, and people back home asked me to make them proud.

"I wish to ask Amakhosi supporters to pray for me to do well. It is not about me, we are a family, but one thing for sure is I am here to fight for Chiefs.

"I started my career at an early age, I think I was nine years old when I played for Corner Babies FC and then proceeded to Juvenile Cornerstone in Kumasi.

"I moved to Accra to play at Golden Foot Academy, which is a well-known academy in Ghana, coached by the legendary Mohammed Ahmed Polo.

"I then joined Liberty Professionals in Dansoman, where they used to call me Lampard, taken from the legendary English footballer Frank Lampard. The supporters gave me the nickname because I was tough and brilliant when it came to shooting from distance.

"I moved to Oman to join the country's professional league. I was there for a year, playing for Al-Oruba FC. I was then scouted to play for Simba S.C in Tanzania."

Lampard, who scored 274 goals at club level, many of which came for Chelsea, was recently appointed as head coach of the Blues. The 41-year-old signed a three-year deal at Stamford Bridge.

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