May 9th tragedy deeply affected my players - Herbert Mensah

Former Asante Kotoko chairman Herbert Mensah spoke about the May 9th Stadium Disaster. He said it deeply affected his players at that time.

On the anniversary of the tragedy, Mensah discussed the emotional toll on the squad. He led Kotoko during the 2001 incident and found it hard to prepare his players afterward.

On May 9, 2001, a league match between Hearts of Oak and Kotoko ended in disaster. A stampede occurred due to crowd trouble and police response. This led to the deaths of 126 fans.

Mensah emphasized how difficult it was to motivate the players again. He mentioned having a strong captain, Godwin Ablordey, and a good backroom staff. The players were shocked because they lost friends and family from both teams.

He noted that people now travel across the country for games. The tragedy involved not just one person but at least 126 lives lost. Some estimates suggest closer to 150 fatalities.

Mensah reflected on getting players back on the pitch after such an event. He reminded everyone that football is just a game, not life or death. If such tragedies can happen in stadiums, people must question if it's worth it.