Ex-Skipper?s Unfulfilled Dreams

LIKE A number of talented footballers, who have had their soccer careers cut short, in view of varying degrees of injuries, former skipper of Ghana?s Black Satellites, Ransford Banini, also suffered the known ill-fate.

A few weeks back, Banini told Guide Sports in an exclusive interview in Melbourne that, ?I feel like re-launching my soccer career, whenever I watch soccer, but it?s rather unfortunate, I?m unable.?

According to the former skipper, he suffered a chronic injury blow, after joining his last club, Melbourne Knights, a Premier side, in Australia. ?Initially, I didn?t know the specific injury, and so I went for a scan, after which I recovered in six months? time,? he stated.

However, when Banini returned for action, the injury resurrected, and he had to go for another treatment.

?I had a great passion for the game, and I hoped that, things could be better, but I kept on battling with fitness,? Banini recalled, ardently. The former Ghanaian international was frustrated by the unrelenting injury, for almost two soccer seasons, until he finally bowed out of the game, three years ago.

?I quit the game, prematurely, because the injury was like a mystery to me. And so, ever since I ceased active soccer, I?ve been working as a computer engineer, since I studied electronics during my school days, at EMIT Technical Institute, in Kaneshie, Accra, Ghana.

Banini powered the Satellites 93 Squad to win the African Under-20 Championship, in Mauritius, and went the extra mile to grab silver in the World Tournament, in Australia.

Just after Australia 93, the former skipper returned with his teammates to Ghana, and decided to continue with his soccer career with the Aussies. Banini, then a key player of Goldfields, now Ashantigold, crossed carpet to Marconi SC, in Sydney, Australia.

After sometime, he switched camp to Melbourne Zebras, the club he featured for, before joining Melbourne Kinghts.

Interestingly, Banini laments, ?It?s pretty regrettable that, I couldn?t get the details of the contract signed between Goldfields and Marconi SC.? Even though the 1993 World Under-20 Championship silver medallist could not have the opportunity to feature for the Black Stars, in view of his mysterious injury, he is not much perturbed.

?But for injuries, I could have been a part of Ghana?s team, which qualified for the Germany 2006 World Cup finals, and I would have also, been delighted for the feat, since I have written my name in the history books.

?However, I?m a Ghanaian, and I?m proud of the heroic Stars, which broke Ghana?s jinx of not qualifying for the World Cup finals.?

?When Ghana had the likes of Anthony Yeboah ?Yegoala?, and Abedi Ayew ?Pele?, it failed to make it to the World Cup Tournament,? Banini pointed out. He added: Such is the soccer game, because, in the days of Shamo Quaye, and Joe Debrah, Ghana could not advance to the World Under-20 tourney, but it qualified in my heyday with the Satellites.

Banini started competitive soccer career with Colts? side, Saints Stars, before joining Kotobabi Powerlines.

He, however, moved to Winneba Advance Stars, where he was roped into the Satellites Squad for the Mauritius Championship, in 1993, but after an impressive performance, Goldfields snatched him from the Winneba side.