Ex-Hearts of Oak playmaker Emmanuel Yartey goes mad, roams streets of Accra

Published on: 01 August 2017
Ex-Hearts of Oak playmaker Emmanuel Yartey goes mad, roams streets of Accra
Emmanuel Yartey in his current state roaming the streets of Accra

Former Ghana U17 and Accra Hearts of Oak hugely talented playmaker Emmanuel 'Dr Panie' Yartey has shockingly gone mad and roaming the streets of Accra.

A strange mental illness looks to have afflicted the superstar blessed with immense dribbling skills during his playing days which has led to him roaming the streets.

With clearly no medical assistance from his family or the football fraternity, the midfielder who also played for Kotoko has been left to his fate.

Early signs of his mental illness were spotted in his neighbourhood in Darkuman, a suburb of Accra, but the lack of financial support dissuaded friends who were willing to help.

Yartey has been afflicted with the illness for over ten years now but his condition has now deteriorated.

Signs of recovery were spotted in 2007 when he said he had fought off the mental illness and eyeing a return to the Ghana Premier League.

Yartey was considering re-launching his career with an unnamed premiership club saying his return to active soccer was imminent.

Speaking to the GNA Sports at the Darkuman Cable and Wireless Park in 2007, Yartey said that he had finally decided to return to soccer after some years in the wilderness.

After successfully battling some health problems, the petit midfielder said that he had fully recovered, setting the tone for the re-launch of his once promising career.

He said that he had been training seriously in that direction, with the 2008/9 league season as his immediate target.

"I am still very active and haven't lost any of my skills," Yartey said when asked about his mental condition in 2007

He was however evasive when quizzed about his possible destination, saying that he was still undecided.

Though reports had been gaining currency in the local media that the former Okwawu United and Hearts of Oak midfielder had had some mental health problems, the player rubbished those reports.

The Darkuman-born midfielder, was once touted as a prospect for the senior national team, the Black Stars, but that has remained a delusion.

Yartey, who last played for Hearts of Oak during the 2002/2003 season had previous stints with Okwawu United and Asante Kotoko.

He was part of the powerful Hearts of Oak team built under Jones Attuquayefio that won many titles and brought joy to the Phobians.

He also played for Kotoko as well as Okwawu United.

Yartey grabbed the big headline in 1998 when he scored for Kotoko against Hearts of Oak at their peak - the goal was equalised by Joe Ansah.

 

 

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