Regular playing time is top on the agenda of Ghana international Eric Addo after he begun pre-season training with Dutch side Roda JC on Wednesday.

The center back who has been omni-present for Ghana over the last three years was back in training with his Roda team mates and has set himself the simple priority of staying fit and contributing to what he hopes will be a fine season with the club.

Addo signed permanent deal with Roda after initially joining them on loan from PSV and is now rearing to go for the new season which begins for them on July 31.

“I am hoping I can stay fit and play as many games for the club as possible,” he told KickOffGhana.com. “Hopefully we can finish in a top 5 place and have a good run in the Dutch Cup.”

Addo knows Dutch football inside out having signed for PSV from Club Brugges in Belgium in the late 90s. Since moving from Ghana in 1995, he has bagged nine League titles in Belgium and Holland, took the young player of the year honour in Belgium and won the highly coveted Ebony Award for best African player in the Belgian League.

Now he is hoping he can impact all the experience he has picked up in an impressive career unto young Ghanaian players.

Even though not a fan favourite, Addo has been regular in central defence for Ghana since the 2006 World Cup surviving three coaches and still keeping his place.

And he has won the respect of some of the biggest names in the game with Jose Mourinho telling the New Vision of Uganda at the 2008 Nations Cup that “In defence, Ghana's Eric Addo played good football”.

But not everyone has been impressed with the defender the subject of regular criticisms amongst commentators and fans.

He says he has learnt to turn that into a source of inspiration.

“Most important thing is that the coaches continue to pick me so I must be doing something right. When people criticise it simply provides an incentive to play well and prove the coaches right.”