Dan Owusu Bemoans Lack of Records Keeping, Claims He Scored Close To 100 GPL Goals
- Ghana Premier League legend Dan Owusu has complained about Ghana football's lack of proper records keeping
- The Bofoakwa Tano icon claims he scored close to a century of goals during his GPL football career
- Dan Owusu holds the joint all-time record of most top scorer awards won in the Ghana Premier League
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Dan Owusu, a name that echoes in the annals of Ghanaian football, is a living testament to the passion, skill, and sheer determination that has defined the country's top-flight league, but the great goal machine laments the lack of proper records keeping by the Ghana Football Association.
Owusu, one of the most prolific strikers in the history of the Ghana Premier League, is a figure who remains underappreciated by modern football records. Despite his undeniable impact on the field, the true extent of his goal-scoring prowess remains shrouded in mystery as he claims he scored close to a century of goals, with some of his strikes not recorded.
Source: Twitter
The Ghana football hero has been speaking to YEN.com.gh as fans await the return of the GPL which was suspended following the death of Kotoko supporter, Pooley, during a chaotic league game between Nsoatreman FC and Asante Kotoko on February 2. Bechem United has since announced a 100, 000 GHC reward for anyone who offers substantial information leading to the arrest of the culprit.
Close to a century of goals
He believes to have scored nearly 100 goals in the Ghana Premier League during his illustrious career, but due to inadequate record-keeping by the GFA, the precise number of his goals he netted will never be known.
Owusu's career spanned several successful years at the helm of Bofoakwa Tano in the 1970s, where he earned three prestigious top scorer awards in succession in the Ghana Premier League. He was the goal king in the 1974 Ghana First Division with 24 goals in the colours of the Sunyani-based side. He repeated the form the next season with 26 strikes for the same team before realizing his hat-trick by securing the Ghana league's golden boot in 1976 with 28 goals for Bofoakwa.
Theses three seasons saw his tally reach 78 goals in the country's top flight football campaign. He also enjoyed stints with Asante Kotoko and BA United, though his goals at these clubs remain undocumented as well the seasons in which he was not the GPL's leading scorer but netted some good amount of goals.
In an exclusive chat with YEN.com.gh's Sports Editor, Gariba Raubil, Dan Owusu, talked extensively about the mystery of his unrecorded achievements.
''I scored plenty of goals. You know what was recorded are the goals I scored in the three seasons I won the goal king. That is in 1974, 1975, and 1976. I totaled 78 goals in these seasons with Bofoakwa. But what about the seasons I was not the top goal scorer but surely scored goals. Also I played for Asante Kotoko and BA United but I do not remember the goals I scored for them. It is unfortunate that we do not have full records to that effect'', Dan Owusu said.
Journey to stardom
Dan Owusu's journey to football stardom began in the small town of Chiraa in the Bono Region of Ghana, where he first showcased his skills playing for youth clubs. Owusu’s natural flair for scoring goals was evident from an early age, and he quickly caught the attention of scouts and coaches at Sunyani-based BA United who handed him a trial.
However, his rise to prominence began with Bofoakwa Tano, a club based in Sunyani that, after United refused to sign him due to his smallish frame. But their city rivals took a gamble which paid dividends with Dan Owusu going on to become of the club's greatest ever players alongside another powerhouse of a striker, Kwasi Owusu.
The two players combined to wreak havoc against Ghana First Division defenders back in the 70s. Dan Owusu's powerful strikes, intelligent movement, and composure in front of goal made him an indispensable part of the teamh even though he was a typical offensive midfielder. It wasn't long before his performances attracted the attention of the media, fans, and most importantly, the Black Stars.
However, despite his impressive tally of goals, Owusu laments the fact that much of his record is lost in history due to the lack of accurate documentation. The Ghana Football Association, for many years, struggled with keeping precise statistics, especially when it came to tracking goals in the local leagues. This failure has left Owusu’s actual goal count largely unrecognized in official records, making him one of the most mysterious figures in Ghanaian football history.
Source: Twitter
Unrecorded goals
While Owusu’s accomplishments at Bofoakwa Tano are well documented, his career elsewhere remains much more elusive. His stints at Asante Kotoko, one of Ghana's most successful football clubs, and BA United, his final stop before retirement, are clouded in uncertainty. Owusu claims that he scored a significant number of goals for both clubs, but due to inconsistent record-keeping during those years, many of these goals remain undocumented.
''If all my goals were to be counted properly, I think I would be getting to 90 to 100 goals. I am so sure about that.'', he added.
At BA United, Owusu, who says he could have played for Real Madrid, played a key role in their attack briefly before calling time on his playing career. His experience and leadership helped mentor younger players, but once again, the official records are unable to reflect the full extent of his contributions.
Pooley selected as Kotoko's greatest fan
YEN.com.gh earlier reported an ex-Kotoko board member's declaration of Pooley as the club's most remarkable supporter of all time.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
