FLASHBACK: We’re sorry for neglecting you – Richard Kingston to Junior Agogo

As the country and the entire world grief the passing of former Black Stars striker Junior Agogo, Ghanaweb.com has gone deep into its archives to give readers a flashback of the last few years of the ever-smiling ex-footballer.

Two years ago, Ghanaweb.com caught up with the former Black Stars goalkeeper and now goalkeeper’s trainer of the national team, Richard Kingston following revelations by Agogo that his ex-teammates had neglected him in his time of distress.

Agogo at the time had hoped that a lending hand, a shoulder to lean on and constant chit-chat with his Black Stars colleagues would have been good for his rehabilitation from the stroke he suffered in 2015.

The Black Stars striker died on Thursday in London. He was 40

Here is the original story first published in October 2017

Former Black Stars shots stopper Richard ‘Olele’ Kingston has rendered an unqualified apology to his former teammate Junior Agogo following the latter’s revelation about being neglected after he got sick.

The former Black Stars striker was diagnosed with a devastating stroke which got him bedridden two years ago.

Featuring in a BBC documentary 'Speechless', Agogo opened up on his battle to regain his speech after suffering from the ailment and further revealed that he was no longer in touch with his former international teammates since he suffered the stroke.

But in a quick response by one of his teammate, Richard Kingston stated that he lost touch with Junior Agogo a couple of years ago and only found out about his illness recently.

Richard Kingston indicated that the former striker was always in his thoughts and prayers and urged him to fight on. He apologized to the Junior Agogo and his family on behalf of all the players who had abandoned him and begged for his forgiveness.

“Sometimes when you have friends from the beginning and they betray you like this it’s very painful so I understand him…” Richard Kingston stated

“I’ll like to apologise on behalf of some of the players who couldn’t reach out to Junior Agogo and his family that maybe we have neglected him at this point but all the same I believe that we are in spirit with him so we wish him speedy recovery”, he added




Background

Agogo, 38-year-old, suffered the stroke in January 2015, after retiring from football and now has Aphasia.

Junior Agogo is now being taken care of by his mother.

Aphasia is an impairment of language, affecting the production or comprehension of speech and the ability to read or write.

Aphasia is due to injury to the brain, especially from a stroke.

In some cases, it makes communications with the patient impossible. It is associated with difficulty to retrieve names of objects and inability to put together sentences.

Speaking for the first time after the stroke, Agogo in a BBC documentary published on Sunday, said the stroke left him lacking confidence, and he feels socially isolated.

Agogo played for Bristol Rovers between 2003 to 2006, before moving to Nottingham Forest.

Junior Agogo (real name Manuel Agogo), is a Ghanaian striker who made 140 appearances for the Rovers.

He joined from then Conference side Barnet, for a fee of £110,000 with Giuliano Grazioli moving to Underhill as part of the deal.

Agogo was a member of the Black Star squad that participated in 2008 African Cup of Nations which was hosted by Ghana.