Story of the Goalkeeper Robert Mensah told by Living witness-Paul Djanie!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 มิ.ย. 2024
- Robert Mensah was born at Cape Coast, in the Central Region of Ghana in 1939. He was a Ghanaian goalkeeper known for his performances with Mysterious Dwarfs, Sekondi Independence Club, Tema Textiles Printing and most prominently, Asante Kotoko and the National Team.
He was the reigning Africa’s best goalkeeper, he led Kumasi Asante Kotoko to their first continental triumph in January 1971 after a thrilling Africa Clubs Championship duel against the fabled Englebert of Congo DR, then a powerhouse of African football.
Arguably the most significant incident of Mensah’s remarkable career - the one for which he would be most remembered and revered.
Robert Mensah joined Kotoko from Cape Coast Mysterious Dwarfs in 1969 after he inspired the Abontua Abontua Boys to thrash Kumasi Asante Kotoko 5-0 in 1968 at the famous Siwudu Park, incidentally now named after him.
Interestingly, that was the time Kotoko had returned from a training tour abroad. Robert Mensah was unique, supremely gifted. Those who watched him have always failed to describe him with words, his immense qualities.
Robert stood more than 6ft tall and he handled a football with contemptuous ease.He had a superb sense of anticipation, great physical fitness and the courage and confidence to go down to the feet of dangerous attackers.
And of course, those magic hands that could pick a ball out from the air effortlessly.Robert Mensah always wore a black jersey and a funky over-sized cap, which prompted fist-fights on occasions due to opponents believing it was troubling them.He would carry a newspaper on to the pitch and outrageously, read it during matches.Additionally, he would urge adversaries to shoot while looking the other way.
Robert ridicule those brave enough to take penalties against him verbally and with mocking dance sketches (he had an excellent record at not conceding spot-kicks).Robert Mensah, He was the reigning Africa’s best goalkeeper in the 1960’s and 1970’s known for his performances with Asante Kotoko and the National Team.
Robert Mensah
‘The Day Ghana Stood Still’ - so read the headlines throughout the West African nation.It was October 27, 1971, and Ghana, for the first time in their history, had failed to qualify for the African Cup of Nations following a 2-2 draw with Togo in Lome and was beaten in Accra, by the same Togolese side 0-1 with Ghana losing qualification for AFCON 1972 in Cameroon.
It would also be the last time that Robert Mensah would turn out for the Black Stars, for less than a week later, the headline that described their shocking defeat would soon take on a new meaning.On November 2, 1971, many Ghanaians awoke to even more shocking news - Robert Mensah had died in hospital in the small hours of the morning after being the victim of a nasty stabbing in an Akpeteshie bar in Tema.
While tragic, his sudden death following a fight in a bar wasn’t surprising to those that knew him well, with his national teammate Ibrahim Sunday being quoted as saying:“Although Robert was a great goalkeeper, he wasn’t disciplined and was a bit of a troublemaker, and it was this lack of discipline that caused his death.”
Robert Mensah, He was the reigning Africa’s best goalkeeper in the 1960’s and 1970’s known for his performances with Asante Kotoko and the National Team. That day after he died, a new song emerged, that children will forever sing along in remembrance of the tragic end of a hero;
Here is;
“Robert. Papapa (clap). Robert. Papapa (clap). Robert Mensah, goalkeeper number one..aka nansa, na wakɔ aburokyire. Kwasia bi te hɔ, ɛyɛ ne ya, wakɔfa pintoa, ode awɔ nenfe…”
Literally, translates (Robert Mensah, Africa’s number one goalkeeper. He has only three days to fly and play abroad. But some jealous idiot stabbed him to death with a broken bottle)Robert Mensah’s popularity transcended beyond Ghana, and evidence was at his funeral where the Togolese, Nigerian and Ivory Coast Sports Councils made donations to his widow.
A sports stadium in Cape Coast has been named in his honour.The stadium is the home venue of the Mysterious Dwarfs, the team which Mensah began his football career with.Ultimately, in 1970, he was voted as the 9th best African football player by French football publication France-Football.
A year later he was runner-up in the African football player of the year award.
#GhanaFootball #Robertmensah #Dwarfs #AfricaFootball - กีฬา
I am Asante Kotoko supporter. Now Paul has speak the truth about Our Hero Robert Mensah. This evil envy killed Our best and broke Our hearts until now. Those of us who knew him in goal-post will never forget him. Robert Mensah is simply the best
I didn’t see Robert Mensah playing but I can say he is the finest player for Ghana
To Robert Mensah and Ghanaian best
Goalkeeper ever in the 🌎 world will be remembered for eternity in ghana 🇬🇭 period.?????
Ali jarah
You know exactly what u r talking about, thanks
The only cape coast legend RIP MR ROBERT MENSAH
Omg 😱 I really remembered Robert Mensah I was a teenager by then when he was killed by an evil guy!! My uncles cried that day , he was a legend 🇺🇸
Thanks for sharing. Heard a lot about him growing up in the 70's.
We used to sing about him when we were kids
Goosebumps
It’s a pain that a friend will kill your friend that way. Sad a true legend
Robert Mensah was the best goalkeeper in Africa
For me personally the best in the entire football world!😂😎
My dad is 76 and he always spoke about this keeper
This man is telling it all.Otumfuo ordered the body to be flown to Kumasi for viewing.His body was flown from Cape Coast to Kumasi by helicopter.Mass crowd gathered outside the palace.We were all there.
If only we knew how to celebrate our heroes.....
Legendary Goalkeeper ROBERT MENSAH , very articulate well structured and agile and calculative within his goal area ( 18yrds box)
Had the looks of Cornerstones , DEGRAFT JOHNSON, KWAO BAFFOE OF KOTOKO ,
KASSUM AND MYERS OF SEKONDI HASSAACAS.
“NANA BANYIN” ROBERT MENSAH IN HIS PRIME WAS FEARLESS AND CONFIDENT GOALKEEPER WHO HAD ABSOLUTE CONTROL
AND COMMANDEERED HIS DEFENSE WITH IMPOSSIBLE SAVES FROM OPPONENTS.
INDEED WAS MY IDOL AT THE AGE OF 16.
MAY HIS SOUL AND ALL FAITHFUL DEPARTED REST IN PERFECT PEACE AND THAT THE LIGHTS PERPECTUALLY SHINE UPON HIS REMAINS.
A giant among dwarfs
Gosh!!!
I was in primary 4 then even though i cannot remember vividly what happened but i still remembered that he was stabbed with a broken bottle and the whole of Tamale was like the incident happened right in Tamale. RIP legend
Robert Opia Mensah the legendary along side with Nkono the black cat .
Do we have his videos
Hmmmmmn
If any I wish I can spend all my penny to watch one of his games
You can find his videos with Ghana Broadcasting Corporation as in those days, only Accra Stadium that football game were telecasted.
My mum told me how you could hear cries from homes all around Kumasi Sports stadium. That was the magnitude of his relevance.
Who was crying?
@@richardatu3611 Random people morning his death.
@@MickeyAgyei oh okay, such a great lost
i think it's important to have accurate information of his stabbing. i understand Ghanaians could not handle that a super star had been murdered, but as your summary states the legend was quite the fiend. From the facts of the case as presented in the high court, Robert aggravated his assailant. his assailant was not jealous, he didn't go after Robert. Robert, in his drunken state, went after him after he tried to separate Robert and another individual from a previous fight in the bar...and in his bid to protect himself stabbed the football legend. history should be recounted on both sides of the story. if his assailant is alive maybe granting him an interview would balance the odds. i think he deserves to be heard too.
Brilliant
Thanks please
Mom unfortunately his assailant Kwesi Isaac died in Nigeria about five years ago. It was a crime of passion- it's over a woman. Nobody knows Robert Mensah as I know him.We were born in the same area , bread in the same area and grew up together in the same area and never lost contact till his death.
@@victorwilliams8415 Sir, what else do you know about his final hours? Is it true he was a bully, and the aggressor in the bar fight?
I totally agree with you
The Kotoko Englebert Match Kinshasa was telecast by GBC just before the finals with Al Ahly in '83 Do we still have the film That was where Real Robeet Mensah was seen
So sad we don’t keep records of such amazing history. One time lot of records were destroyed when fire gushed gbc during Revolution time
Producer please try to reconcile the account on taken off his hat during the Zambian match. Osei Kofi says the hat was kept aside before the taken of the penalty but the friend say he got his hat back on
My dad be dwarf fan he told me more about him
I was then nine years the whole Ghana mourn Robert Mensah's tragic death and again l witness (Biefa's) death when was knocked by a car in( Sem3 border ) Nigeria &Benin the guy who stabbed Robert Mensah to death
The match waa telecaat thanks toJJ
I was not born by then so cannot say much.
Adjetey. How is life. Long time.
One or two corrections here. Robert was stabbed on a Sunday when Kotoko were away at Akosombo playing Akosombo Akotex. He was excused. He didn't travel with the Kotoko team to Akosombo. It was rumoured that Robert was chasing the wife of Isaac Melfah, the guy who stabbed him with a broken beer bottle.
A fight ensued between the two at Credo bar. Robert being a big guy was on top of the guy. Melfah stabbed, freed himself from him, and he died died in a Tema hospital.
His funeral was second to none in Ghana. It gripped the entire country from Azim to Bolgatanga. Probably, the next funeral which was country-wide was that of the late Lt. Gen. EK Kotoko
Thank you....noting everything
Do you know what happened to the Isaac guy?. Was he prosecuted?
@@class1comedy973 melfah was sentenced to death..apparently he is also gone .
@@fiifiannan-mensah4975 Ehm, Melfah was sentenced to I believe 8 years prison sentence. He was not charged with murder, rather manslaughter. Melfah being thrown in prison is a classic case of prison being good for some reason. Had he not been in prison but was walking free any where in Ghana, he would have been murdered as a revenge for killing Robert. The death of Robert Mensah gripped the entire football world in Ghana, and Melfah was the number one most hated person in Ghana during those days. Prison was good for him.
Oooo OK so we have this childhood song
Robert Mensah Goalkeeper #1 aka nansa na wakɔ aburokyire, ɔkwasea bi si hɔ ɛyɛ ne ya, wakɔfa pɛntoa awɔ ne mfe
adeɛ kyee ne wawoo
ne ba no de sɛn Kofi Anto..........
So was he about to travel that he was stabbed?
And did he give birth ?
He looks like Bismarck the joke
No Sir you're wrong He died before the first Olympics semifinal in Accra and Essel Mensah had to replace him
Thanks for your inputs
Good tribute. However, Robert rather never saved a penalty kick, not the other way round which the writer wrote in paragraph 8 line 2 that "he had an excellent record at not conceding spot-kicks"
Thanks for your inputs
Hi Guys 😍💋 💝💖
I learnt he was killed at credo bar at Tema
Look, don't put trash here