INTERVIEW: Tom Boakye – The star from Bremang living his dream (Part II)

Accra, Ghana

 

Part II of this series continues the story of Tom Boakye, from his days in college to his first professional contract.

 

“When I got back from Sweden, Tom Vernon called me and told me that I would be going to Manchester City on trial. And within two weeks, I moved to Manchester for the trials, which turned out to be very successful. One Scott Silas over saw my performance. Unfortunately, they didn’t have an opening for a Right Back at that moment.

Tom Boakye on trial at Manchester City

 

“They tried me in other positions and honestly, I don’t feel that I failed. But every coach has an idea about how to pick his players and which to use. The coaches were happy with me, my attitude, how I play. Unfortunately, I couldn’t sign for them but Tom told me not to worry because he was certain that I would get a club. I kept working hard and, God being so good, I ended up in Sweden.”

Sankofa. A twi word which means “reach back and get it”. Exactly what he did. Tom had to come back to Ghana to stay active. And through that, his opportunity came.

“After that, I returned to Right to Dream, to play with them as they helped me to get a team. Fortunately, Östersunds FK coach Graham Potter came to Ghana to watch me, liked me and I signed a two-and-a-half year contract right here in Ghana. I mean usually, people would go outside to sign but I signed right here in Ghana before going there.”

Boakye mentioned his two countrymen and teammates earlier. Well, former teammates. Laryea and Shaze have both left Östersunds for Örebro SK and Umeå FC respectively. Tom has made it a point not to be pressured to make a move too. At least, not just yet.

“Football can take you anywhere. It can take you away from your friends and family. It’s just unfortunate that Laryea and Shaze are leaving the club because they have done very well for the club. From Division 2 to the Superettan League. Such a big achievement. They leaving is a new challenge and new phase of their careers. I will miss them a lot. They are the ones who made me feel at home when I came. It’ll be tough losing them but they are still in Sweden so we will definitely keep in touch.

“I don’t feel any pressure at all. I need to do my job on the pitch and other things will come naturally. If I start to think about transfers and moving, that can affect my focus, I can’t afford that. They are moving out, yes, but I will keep working hard and my right time will come. Right now, I respect the club and fans for all they have done for me. My focus now is for Östersunds.”

And his one-and-a-half years at the club has come with good and bad memories. He recounts some.

“When we got the promotion. That will be my best ‘high’ so far. It was a dream come true, in 2012, when I first came here on my first ever professional contract. The aim of the club was to gain promotion into the Superettan. I played the remaining half of the season and fortunately, we reached that goal. The coach, the board members, they were so happy.

“My low…hmmm…during the Superettan league, things were not going on as we wanted. We lost about four games in a row. That had to be my low. But the silver lining to it was that Östersunds rose from that and went on to survive the drop. “We kept the team work, we stayed together and we came back and won about nine games in a row.”

Boakye donning the ‘band’

 

Boakye touches on one of the misconceptions about him being a captain, and explains.

“Most of my friends and people in Ghana thought I was the captain of Östersunds. No. I am not. A couple of times in the season, I wore a band on my arm. This is meant for the youngest player in the team. There is the band for the captain but this one is meant to help boost your morale. No, I was not captain.”

Maja Hemmingsson, who works in Sweden with Forex Bank, is Tom’s partner. She wandered off to stroll around the mall when the interview began. We call her over to talk to her as well, but before she comes, Tom says: “Maja is my girlfriend. She came along with me on this holiday. She has had a great time and can’t stop talking about it.”

Maja Hemmingsson with her partner, Boakye

 

When a smiling Maja finally takes her seat, she echoes this. But not without a few choice words about her man.

“Ghana is lovely. Everyone is very to me and they always give me a smile when I look at them. The food is amazing and the country is nice. I would love to come back. It’s nice to see where Tom comes from.

“I always go to his games to support him. He says I scream too much.

“He always makes me smile and he’s got a big heart. He even makes people who don’t know him feel comfortable. He’s a good person.”

For someone who is seen as having a big heart, it is no surprise that Tom has showed the trait for the second year running. In his native community Bremang, in the Ashanti Region, Tom organizes a football tournament.

“Giving back is a major priority for me. This is one of the main things that is in Right to Dream’s plan. Not to give back to Right to Dream but to your family and society. I organised a little tournament in my community in. This was meant to encourage them, to not just play football for fun. They can look at me and know that they can become like me even as I mentor them to know the best possible way to get there.

Boakye addressing participants in the ‘Östersunds FK tournament’ he organised in Bremang

 

“This year’s was the second tournament. Last year’s was the U15’s and this year’s was the U17’s, which was much, much bigger. This year’s involved four teams and was named after Östersunds FK, because of the help that I got from them. They donated full sets of jerseys and kits and I think it’s just right that I did it in their honour.”

 

Tom is one of the many bright products that Right to Dream has produced and it sure goes without saying that he is living his dream.

 

INTERVIEW: Tom Boakye – The star from Bremang living his dream (Part I)

Accra, Ghana

 

Imagine being separated from your family at the tender age of 10. Separated not because you didn’t want to, but because you wished to realise a dream. Betwixt and between. Such was the dilemma of Thomas Boakye. Fast forward a decade later, Tom’s early sacrifice has paid off, even though he may not have understood it fully then. His family is proud of him and Boakye attributes it to one man and one vision.

The Right to Dream Academy has gained prominence in the media limelight for the last couple of years and rightly so. The dream that Tom Vernon had has, through hard work and dedication, finally began to reap major benefits after a decade.

Boakye plays for Östersunds FK in the Swedish Superettan, a prominent member of the team that gained promotion to the division and helped them stay there.

“It’s been great and interesting with all its setbacks and everything. When I first moved to the club, I didn’t know what to expect. But with the help of Sam Laryea and Isaac Shaze, they were there to help me. They helped me move forward and settle in. It was tough but I didn’t panic. I didn’t put any pressure on myself. I just waited and worked hard to bring out the best in me.”

But his story has been one over a long journey. How did it all start for the young man?

Born and raised in Bremang in the Ashanti Region, Tom was your average Ghanaian kid. On one fateful day, he chanced on an announcement that would change his life.

“It was announced on radio that a ‘justify-your-inclusion’ exercise was going to be organized at ‘Wesco’, near State Boys, Suame Police Station. The next morning when I went, there were so many players and only nine were to be selected to do the final justifier to get into the Right to Dream Academy. At the time, it was known as the Tom Vernon Football Academy but he later found it prudent to change the name to what it is now.

“So I made it through to the final stage where ten players were to be selected out of 80, to start the second generation of the academy. Isaac Shaze and Sam Laryea were members of the first generation.

“It’s every kids dream if they get the opportunity that RtD affords. If you’re not good in school, they make sure that you get the best possible help you need to get you to improve, speak good English, read and write.”

And he is well-spoken and articulate. A trait I have noticed among the few RtD graduates I have interacted with. Kudos, Tom Vernon. Boakye continues his story.

“I moved to RtD in 2004. Moving away from my family was challenging. After I was selected, I was given a form to give to my parents to confirm. They don’t just send a paper. They send a staff to sit with your parents, explain to them, giving them a clear picture of what is going to happen. One coach Mariner was the one who came to my house and explained to my parents and I signed a contract with RtD. And since then, my life changed, really.

 

Boakye in Right To Dream, with Enock Kwakwa

 

“If you don’t have a good character, you can’t stay in the academy. There’s a code of conduct you’re supposed to adhere to. Because they want to keep guys with good attitudes.

“The academy has changed my life. Free education, free coaching, it can’t get better than that.”

 

Recognize him? Boakye with Majeed Waris at Right To Dream

 

An all-round formative institute, RtD has to be credited for helping shape these boys the right way. Most RtD graduates are well-mannered and they are still monitored after they leave the Academy.

“RtD is always looking out for the best of the player. They train you totally, so that wherever you find yourself, you can survive. Also so that the way you carry yourself will not bring a bad name to the academy, your country and your family.”

“We the graduates, whenever we come back to Ghana, we go to the Academy and talk to the boys, advise them about the career, so that they can learn from us. RtD also helps us to get agents, they don’t just leave us out there. They contact us, checking up on how we’re doing, our diet and other things. They always want the best for us.”

After that detour, Tom continues his story, where he lands a scholarship which opens another chapter of his life.

“RtD got me a scholarship to Hartpury College, along with Bismark Boateng, who I think plays for Kotoko, and we studied and played there. The college gave us the opportunity to train with Forest Green Reserves in the Conference in England. We couldn’t play with the first team so we were with the reserves.

“We also got the opportunity to go on trials for the England U18’s and U19’s. Unfortunately, I was the only one who was picked and I was so sad because I wanted Bismark to be with me. So we went to Lilleshall for the final trials to select the best colleges U18’s to represent England. When they pick you, it doesn’t matter where you’re from. You will represent England.

“The first year, I got selected for both U18’s and U19’s. My college decided that I should play in the U18’s because that was more advertised. It was on TV and you never know what could happen. After the season with the U18’s, I came to play for the U19’s as well because they were both running at the same time. In the second year, I also had the opportunity to play for both sides.

 

Boakye (bottom left) with the England U18’s

 

“It is not easy studying and playing at the same time. You have to organize your time very well. I mean, you have assignments to hand in, trainings to attend, work…it is just crazy. It can mess your head up. But thank God, I was able to survive. I had distinction on my certificate. Bismark also passed his. So we both graduated from college successfully.”

 

Boakye, when he graduated from Hartpury college

 

Just when it seemed like a major door was about to open for him, he had to encounter a minor disappointment.

“During my time in England, we went to Sweden for the Gothia Cup and we reached the semi-finals, which was a good achievement for my college. That was our second time at the tournament and both times we got knocked out that the semi-final stage.”

 

Boakye playing for Hartpury College at the Gothia Cup

 

 

To be continued…

 

Interview with Örebro’s Sam Mensah: “My journey has been long”

By Ing. George-Patrick Bediaku

Samuel Mensah, one of the pioneering Right to Dream graduates, reminisces about his developing years, the many sojourns and how it all culminated in his being named ‘Best Player of the Season’ for second tier Swedish club Östersunds FK. He has also signed for newly-promoted Allsvenskan side Örebro SK.

Beaming with smiles and with an ever so calm and friendly demeanour, 24-year old Mensah sits down with agoronet.com and recaps it all.

“It’s been a very long journey for me. I started with Right to Dream when I was very little, when I was about 10 years old. It wasn’t easy when we started,” he remembers. “You know, we were the pioneers, the first generation. We didn’t have sponsors. It was difficult. These days, the academy has some help from Europe, some sponsorship from Nike. But back then, it wasn’t easy.”

For someone who has been on this kind of journey, it’s understandable when you realize he can be quite philosophical.

“In life, if you need something you have to work for it. So we worked hard.”

Home of dreams

Right to Dream (RtD) has given many young players the perfect Launchpad for their professional careers. Mensah is no exception, but it wasn’t straight-forward either.

“At Right to Dream, I got the chance to go to England to play for the Under 17 of Everton, then I moved to Fulham and then to Newcastle United. But it was a big issue with me. You know, issues with work permit. So I couldn’t stay. I had to come back to Ghana.”

Mensah had just come back to Ghana after a number of years away and, like all the other RtD graduates, he paid a visit to the Academy premises, which is close to Akosombo in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Specifically, In the Akrade Township.

The academy has state-of-the-art facilities, boarding facilities, beautiful pitches…basically, it is your modern day Academy just like in Europe. But in Ghana. Mensah made some observations and singles out praise for the Founder and CEO of RtD, Tom Vernon.

“In my time, there were only 20 boys at the academy but when I recently visited, they now have 80-90 boys. And they have girls as well. Back then, we had only one football pitch. Now they have about eight. They have nice buildings in which they sleep, many nice facilities which helps them with school and football. A lot has changed and it’s all due to Tom Vernon. He has put in a lot of hard work to develop players, not just from Ghana but from Nigeria, Benin, Ivory Coast and other African countries.”

Foray outside Ghana

So he continues his story about how he moved out to England.

“It was nice welcome news to me. It was a surprise for me, actually. I was at the academy and Tom Vernon called me one day and told me he had had discussions with Everton and they wanted me over. I went with Godfred Saka.

“We were so happy to get that opportunity because it’s difficult to get the chance to leave Ghana and go to Europe or England specifically. We were so happy and excited to just go to England and see how the place looks like and also get involved in their football.”

When a player gets the opportunity to leave the shores of Ghana, the dream is to stay and play. Sam, however, had a sting in the tail. An issue that confronts many Internationals in the UK. Work permit.

“So this was around 2004, I went to Everton, Fulham and Newcastle. Everton were actually interested in me but the paper work to sort out my work permit did not work out so I came back to Ghana.”

All over again?

Back to base, Sam had to, basically, start again. But as it is said, ‘every cloud has a silver lining.’

“I was then loaned to a sister Division Two side called Sporting Club Accra. A few of the RtD boys went there to have a feel of the league game. I played about two years and in 2007 got a scholarship to Hartbury College to play and school. Isaac Shaze, Abdul Majeed Waris, David Accam and Thomas Boakye all went to this same college.”

Back to England, Sam was handed a second chance. And boy did he seize it. His professional career would come from this.

“So for four to five years, I played and schooled in England. After my University, I had the chance to go to Sweden for a trial with Östersunds. I did well and they decided to sign me. I signed a two-and-a-half year contract with them. In fact, they proposed four years but when I spoke to Tom Vernon, he advised me to sign two-and-a-half years since four years was too long. I just saw out my contract.”

Well-versed

A versatile player, Sam Mensah recounts how he has played a vital part in Östersunds’ progress, being deployed in various positions.

“I was used in right back, centre back, midfield, many positions. When I signed with them, Östersunds were in Division Two and I helped to get promotion to Division One. Then also another promotion to Superettan, which they are playing in now. I will say I did well for the team and they helped me too. They did develop me a lot in my football. I’m so happy that I started through Östersunds.”

Sam has a persona of an optimist. He tries to see the best in every situation and it has served him well.

“As a football player, you always want to work hard and aim higher because you don’t know who is watching you. So for me, from the beginning of the season, I tell myself that I want to do more, I want to play at the next level. I know teams are watching throughout the season. And I know that at the end of the season, something good is in stock for me.”

Finding a partner…

Sam is a married man. He hitched up with Swedish Thilini Wester, who came along with him to Ghana and has been supportive of him. Sam tells the story of how they met.

“There was one summer where Wigan had come to Sweden for their pre-season training. We had just played a game and we were going to the club with some of the Wigan players and we met Thilini and her friends going to the same club. That’s where I met her and we struck it off.”

Shy and soft-spoken, Thilini chimes in and has only good things to say about Samuel.

“We’ve been married for six months. He’s very calm, he’s a good person. He’s a footballer but he’s a very nice person.”

Speak to footballers’ wives and they will tell you it’s not an easy ride. It seems, however, that Thilini has it all figured out. “In the start, we talked a lot about it. We know that we have to communicate with each other and when we know that there’s the football and there’s the private life, it works.”

Before signing on to Örebro, Thilini was on stage with her man to receive the award for Östersunds Best player of the year. “I’m happy for his move to Örebro, it’s a step up for him in his career. That award, it was good. He deserves it, after two years. I know how much he loves the club and how much he’s been struggling. And I mean, for ‘them’ it means a lot when they receive something like that. [Laughs]”

Hard to leave

Östersunds strikes a chord with Sam. He opines on his strong ties with the club. “It was hard leaving, emotionally. This is a team that I’ve been with for a long time. I’m used to the town, the staff, and the players. So it was hard for me to leave. But as I’ve said a footballer needs to develop. Plus I have a family now, my wife and everything, and so if this is the chance for me to move on, why not? I have to take it. I got the chance to ply at a higher level so I had to move.”

The Örebro move is definitely a step up. But with the options he had, what went into his choice of that club? “I signed two years with the team [Örebro]. I played against them twice. I like the way they play. They are a team that can achieve a lot in the future. Because they’ve got young players who are willing to work hard for themselves and the team and to develop themselves and help the team. To get the chance to get involved, I’m happy. The fans are also great. I can’t wait to start pre-season with them.”

LA, not so BAD, Is it?

Sam recollects his early formative years. Not with RtD, way before that. In Accra, a town called Labadi, Sam was drawn to the beautiful game by an obscure aspect of it. “I grew up in Labadi, in the Agyemang suburb. When I was a kid, there was a team in Labadi called Milo FC. They train close to our house. I loved to watch them and I loved the way they run and train. I always felt like getting involved.

“Another thing. As a kid, when I saw an older person wear his boots to play, and he stepped on the ground, and his studs left marks in the ground, I had this longing to also do the same, to wear the boots and train like him. That was a motivating factor for me.”

Stud marks in the sand. Who would have thought?

But then RtD came calling. Sam didn’t know what he was getting into, but he was ready to face it. Even as a young boy.

“Around age 9-10 years, I played with a Labadi-based team called AC Milan. I was at home one day when the coach came to my house and told my dad about some trials for a football academy he had heard of. He talked to my dad and I was called out. The coach said he had seen that I had some good talent within me. I agreed to it but told him that I needed my dad’s consent. My dad supported it and I was given the chance to go for the trials.

“At the time, the academy was training at the University of Ghana, Legon campus. After two weeks of camping, I did well and I was picked.”

But in all this, the Mensah family was faced with a ‘ying yang’ situation. Sam explains. “My parents were a bit concerned. I mean, they were losing a 10-year old kid. But the plus side to this was that they were not going to spend to cater for me anymore so they were ‘ok’ with that as well. [Laughs]”

Sam cannot help but send a message to all young players who want to be professionals. “It’s not been an easy journey. It’s been about 14-years and it’s been a lot of hard work and sweat.” And he still has a lot more to achieve.

Hope in the Ghanaian game

Despite being thousands of miles away in Sweden, Sam still keeps an eye on Ghana club football. “The local league has developed a lot. It’s still developing, it needs a lot more to match what is in Europe. But it is developing.

“Ghana football is not easy. It’s more physical over here. When you get the chance to go to Europe, you have to thank God. And you are very likely to do well because of what you’ve been through.”

And in these days, who doesn’t talk about the Black Stars?

“I think the Black Stars have done very well to qualify for Brazil 2014. The coaches, the technical staff, the GFA, the ministry all deserve big thanks for what they have done for the country. As a countryman, I’m happy for what they have achieved.

“I’m a Ghanaian footballer. What I’m going to do now is to concentrate for my club. When I get the chance to play for my national team, I will be happy. That is my dream, this is where I was born. I always try to follow my friends’ footsteps. Waris and Accam. I always try to follow what they did. I want to go through what they went through before they got their call-ups. I will be happy if I get called up to help my national team.”

The place called “home”

The wife, Thilini, also continues to wax lyrical about how much she is loving her stay in Ghana. “I really like Ghana. It would have been nice if I didn’t have to go home. Everybody is so friendly. It’s been nice. I’m sure when everything is done, we will probably settle in Ghana.”

Sam Mensah has his work cut out for him. He knows this. And he is willing to do what it takes to achieve all his dreams. All about the Ö’s. It started with Östersunds, it continues with Örebro.