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| Dzado Melike plays for Berekum Chelsea in the Ghana's topflight league. |
Melike as he is popularly called whose passion for the game of football started at a tender age of 6, began his career as a goal keeper when he joined a colts team called Asogli FC.
" I started playing football when I was just a kid, my first team was a colts team called Asogli FC which was managed by Oxygen"
On the Swiss Sports Personality Profile Segment hosted by Richard Quaino and monitored by 24hourssports.com, Melike revealed how his choice of being a goal keeper was inspired by Fatau Dauda, a former first choice goalie for the Black Stars.
" I went to the Ho Sports Stadium one day to watch Voradep match, by then I was just a small boy, Fatau Dauda was then in post for Voradep, he performed so well in the post so I was inspired by his performance and believed I could also do better as a goal keeper"
"So after the game, I ran to him and held his hand, but because I was a child, he did not mind but I knew why I held him"
Melike's rise to the top by becoming one of the best goal keepers in Ho if not the region was never into doubt, having had a stint with a Division two side called Real Volta United, he found himself on the radar of Tudu Mighty Jet in Accra through a scout called Adamu Tigana.
Like they say, home is always home regardless of whatever, Dzado Melike in the quest to climb the success ladder, return home to help Hot Steel FC who by then had qualified to the 1st Division.
After a short stay, the goalie left for Roberto FC only for a season before joining their Division one counterparts Vision FC, where he played for 5 seasons.
Every footballer's dream is to progress, accept new challenges, that for Melike, decided to leave Vision FC after he turned down another offer to sign for the Accra based Divison one team.
" Vision wanted to renew my contract which I declined, to me, I wanted a fresh challenge, I needed to progress, as a footballer, you can't stay at one place that long, I played Vision FC for 5 seasons so I felt it was time to move on, so when the offer from Berekum Chelsea came, I gladly accepted to join them"
At Berekum Chelsea, Dzado Melike is often the second or third choice goal keeper for the former Ghana premier league winners. A feeling he described as a dream come through.
" Joining Berekum Chelsea is a dream come through, though I joined Berekum Chelsea this season, I am working hard to have my debut league game when the league returns"
Sharing his experiences with the 2012 Ghana premier league winners, Dzado believes the feeling was great, adding that, teams like Hearts and Kotoko are just normal teams to play against.
" The feeling is great, Berekum Chelsea is one club I love and I am happy I joined them. Playing against Hearts and Kotoko are just normal games" he said.
Many a time, players from Ho according to reports hardly make it when they travel outside the shores of Ho, this has however become a perception in the minds of people in the municipality about how lazy the players are, Dzado sharing his opinion, believes the media in the region has failed to give the necessary hype for the players, asserting that, there are enormous talents in Ho but for the lack of the hype and support from the media, players from this part of the region are unpopular.
" Our players lacks the necessary hype from the media, we have talented players in this town but for lack of hype, they will travel and play all the game but at the end, they are not recognised because the media in the region doesn't hype the players like what other regions do, this is why when they travel it becomes difficult for them to make it" he opined.
Dzado's dream to play for Levante in the Spanish La Liga lingers on. Despite a fan of Real Madrid and until the dream to become the first choice goal keeper for Levante is achieved, Melike's an unending journey as a goalie continues.