Canadian international Nana Attakora joined the OneSoccer Hangout on Thursday to talk about his vast journeys in club soccer across North America, his time playing in Finland and with Toronto FC in MLS, and the memorable season he spent in the NASL with the San Francisco Deltas. Hosts Kurt Larson, Oliver Platt and Asa Rehman chatted with the former Ottawa Fury defender about his decision to join his current team, Oakland Roots of the National Independent Soccer Association, after the Fury ceased operations last November. Attakora revealed he was close to signing with the San Diego Loyal of the USL, coached by former U.S. international Landon Donovan, but he instead joined Oakland. "With everything I have here in the Bay Area, my girlfriend is from here, I’ve lived in this area for a few years, it just made more sense," said Attakora, a 31-year-old native of North York, Ont. Attakora admitted he was shocked when the decision came down for the Ottawa Fury to fold last year. "We had heard talks of it. But we were also being told that things were moving in a positive direction… It was a shock. I had no intention of leaving Ottawa. I loved Ottawa and I loved the club. But business is business, and there are certain things we can’t control," said Attakora, who earned the first of his nine caps for Canada in 2010. Was staying in the nation’s capital and signing with Atlético Ottawa an option he considered before signing with Oakland? "The club (Atlético Ottawa) hadn’t been announced before I signed. … Every player on the Ottawa Fury would have stayed had we known the CPL was coming (to Ottawa)," Attakora stated. The Canadian defender revealed he had talks last year with HFX Wanderers FC coach Stephen Hart and York9 FC’s Jimmy Brennan about coming to the CPL, but nothing came to fruition. "The CPL was something I considered last year, (but) things weren’t able to work out. Hopefully in the future where-ever my future goes I’ll be a part of it," Attakora said. To watch Thursday’s OneSoccer Player & Pundit Hangout in full, click here. Subscribe to OneSoccer’s YouTube channel for more.

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