Imagine choosing to sign for Kaizer Chiefs over an option to go and test yourself at German Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen.
Sounds insane.
Well, this is what happened for Patrick Mabedi when he moved from Malawian giants Bullets to Chiefs in June 1998.
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Mabedi might have gone on to earn legendary status at Chiefs throughout the eight years that he spent at the club winning the league twice, Bob Save Super Bowl, Rothmans Cup/Coca-Cola (four times), BP Top 8 and the CAF Cup Winners' Cup, but the question about Germany has remained hanging over his head.
"I had two offers that came the same week," discloses Mabedi, talking to KickOff.com from Malawi as he recalls the events from the winter of 1998.
Mabedi was 24 at the time and already the captain of the Malawi national team, while he had been the star player at local giants Bullets for years after his meteoric rise that came after arriving from Admarc Tigers.
"What happened is that in the national team we used to have a German technical director named Manfred Hoener, who organised a team for me in Germany.
"It was (Bayer) Leverkusen and another team, but the same week, Screamer Tshabalala along with my former club's treasurer, came to my house to announce that Chiefs were interested.
"A few days later, I received tickets for flights to South Africa and Germany.
"The late Jack Chamangwana (former Chiefs player-and-coach) was in the national team at the time and so used his influence to convince me about a move to Chiefs.
"But I had my doubts because in South Africa, apartheid had just ended, while in Germany there were constant reports about racism with blacks called monkeys, while it was a country too far away.
"I then had to consult my father about the two offers, and he told me that I should go to South Africa because it was closer to home.
"After I refused to go, another Malawian player, Daniel Chitsulo, then went to Germany and has been there since.
"I signed for Chiefs while on my way to Guinea for a national team game because they were worried that I would take up the other offer.
"So, I got to Johannesburg, then rushed to Naturena to complete the deal and then came back to the airport to proceed with my teammates.
"After I signed for Chiefs, the German technical director was disappointed with the choice that I made after having made all arrangements.
"Those times, what mattered for me was being happy and Chiefs was a team that I supported.
"My belief was that if I excel at Chiefs, I will still proceed with my career to Europe, but I don't even regret up to this day that I didn't go to Germany.
"Chiefs made me who I am now, so I don't regret anything up to this day regardless of what some people might think about me turning down the German offer.
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"I don't know what could have happened had I decided to go to Germany, but I'm happy with what happened at Chiefs.
"The South African league was competitive back then and had all the facilities I could have wished for with improved remuneration," explains Mabedi.