Jonathan Mensah Praises Coach David Duncan For Discovering Him

Columbus Crew defender, Jonathan Mensah has lauded Coach David Duncan for discovering him and ‘giving him a chance.’

According to the 29-year-old, the former Asante Kotoko gaffer gave him a chance when no one else believed in him.

Mensah described Coach Duncan as a disciplinarian and a lover of the youth who drafted him into the Ashgold senior team at the age of 16 and further described him as an “incredible human” and an even better coach.

“At the time I got to Ashgold, the Academy was being dissolved and coach Duncan took me straight into the first team because I was 16 and he signed me for my first professional contract," he told Citi TV.

“There is a special bond because I was a kid from nowhere and he took me under his wings. He saw something that no else saw and I grateful for that. He is such an incredible man, he took me as his son.”

The experienced defender who was part of the Ghana Under-20 World cup winning team began his professional career in Ghana with AshantiGold, but departed after one season to join Free State Stars in South Africa.

After about 40 appearances for his new club, he headed to Europe for the first time in his career, signing with Italian club Udinese.

Mensah never actually played for Udinese, instead spent eighteen months on loan at Granada and appearing 15 times for the Spanish team.