Injuries are a major challenge to footballers and athletes in general as there have been many top talents who couldn't reach their full potential in the game because of long-term injuries.
Many names come to mind when there is a conversation about young footballers whose careers got crashed because of injuries but the names of Awudu Issaka and Kofi Abanga often dominate the subject because of the incredible talent they had.
However, non of the stories of these players is more painful than that of former Black Starslet goalkeeper, Ali Jarrah whose career came to an end after featuring in the Super Clash involving Accra Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko.
To Ali Jarrah, his tragedy was more painful to him because he had gotten an offer to join German Bundesliga side FC Koln in 1993 but his club Hearts of Oak insisted that he features in the Super Clash before he leaves to sign his life-changing contract.
Ali Jarrah did obey the wishes of his club and featured in the Super Clash against Asante Kotoko but that was the last time he was ever able to wear a jersey and play football.
"After the tournament in 1993, I had the offer to join FC Koln in Germany but Acca Hearts of Oak insisted that I play in the game against Asante Kotoko before I leave for Europe."
"I did play the game but Hearts of Oak lost 1-0 to Kotoko. Frimpong Manso scored the only goal in that particular game through a penalty that was given to them a minute before full-time."
"It was after that I started feeling back pains the week I was supposed to leave for Germany and the pain kept increasing each day. I went to the stadium clinic for checkups a couple of times because that was the designated place for all national team players at the time under President Rawlings."
Ali Jarrah said he was assured by the doctor at the stadium clinic that it was just stress but couldn't walk back home after visiting the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for further medical check-ups.
"The Doctor examined me but said it might be stress so I came home but became worse after that and I was eventually admitted at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. I was given a ward at Korle Bu and the day I went to take my bath, was the last time I was able to walk again."
He told Sports Obama TV in an interview that the day he got paralyzed was not the worst day in his life because he couldn't travel to Germany but it was also because he got his first Black Stars call-up on the same faithful day.
"At that time I didn't know the meaning of paralyzed but when the Doctor said it, I started crying. The most painful thing about it was that the day I got paralyzed was the same day I earned my first Black Stars call-up. The goalkeepers in the Black Stars at the top were on top of their games and missing out on a chance to join them really broke me."
Ali Jarrah couldn't play football again and his source of livelihood was cut short and he hasn't been able to walk again since visiting the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital 30 years ago.
He revealed that he won the FA Cup competition on two occasions during his short stint with Accra Hearts of Oak.
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