| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1975-06-19)19 June 1975 (age 50) | ||
| Place of birth | Accra, Ghana | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1991 | Real Tamale United | ||
| 1991–1996 | Torino | 0 | (0) |
| 1993–1994 | →Borussia Dortmund II (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 1994–1995 | →Bayern Munich II (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 1995 | →Stoke City (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 1995–1996 | →Udinese (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 1996–2004 | Udinese | 88 | (2) |
| 2003 | →Venezia (loan) | 18 | (0) |
| 2004–2005 | Genoa | 44 | (0) |
| 2005–2007 | Al-Wakrah | ||
| 2007–2008 | Ashanti Gold | ||
| International career | |||
| 1992–2001 | Ghana | 20 | (4) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2009–2010 | New Edubiase United | ||
| 2010–2012 | Real Tamale United | ||
| 2015 | BA United | ||
| 2016 | Okwawu United | ||
| 2018–2019 | Tura Magic | ||
| 2019–2020 | African Stars | ||
| 2020– | Steadfast | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men'sassociation football | ||
Representing Ghana | ||
| Olympic Games | ||
 | 1992 Barcelona | Team competition |
Mohammed Gargo (born 19 June 1975) is a Ghanaian former professionalfootballer who played as adefender.
Gargo's performances at the1991 FIFA U-17 World Championship brought him to the notice of European clubs'scouts. He had initially agreed to joinBayer 04 Leverkusen alongside fellowGhana national under-17 football team memberSebastian Barnes.[1] However Leverkusen withdrew from the Gargo transfer when it became evident that they could not compete financially with a much larger offer fromTorino.[2]
In October 1991 a payment of 100,000,000Italian lira to Gargo's parents secured his move to Turin, where he was joined by his national under-17 team colleaguesSamuel Kuffour andEmmanuel Duah.[3] Torino's presidentGian Mauro Borsano plannedfake employment for the three players as "messengers" in his construction company until they were 18 years old and eligible to be registered as professional footballers.[4]
The plan was controversial and theItalian Football Federation (FIGC) refused to register the Ghanaian players as either amateurs or professionals. FIGC presidentAntonio Matarrese compared the situation to thetrafficking of children.[5][6] Although Gargo and his father emphasised that they were happy with the arrangements in Turin, the football authorities retained their opposition.[3] An appeal by Torino and Gargo toConfederation of African Football (CAF) was thrown out in October 1992, by which time Kuffour and Duah had already left the club.[7] CAF presidentIssa Hayatou was particularly hostile to Dominico Ricci, whose African Football Management agency had brokered the transfers.[8]
During the 1993–94 season, Gargo spent time atBorussia Dortmund, where hiscousinIbrahim Tanko already played. He was restricted to the club'sAmateure team in theOberliga Westfalen, and when Dortmund tried to buy him outright Torino declined the transfer fee on offer.[9] In November 1994Giovanni Trapattoni took Gargo toBayern Munich.[10] He suffered the same fate he had at Dortmund and was unable to conclude a transfer.[9]
In May 1994 Gargo had appeared for Torino in anon-competitive game against rivalsJuventus. The "Memorial Giorgio Calleri" fixture was staged inNovara and was marred by poor attendance andhooliganism. Gargo was subjected to racist chanting, while Torino supporters mocked the recent death ofAndrea Fortunato.[11] Gargo scored in a 2–2 draw before Torino lost thepenalty shootout.[12][13] Despite his three years of inactivity, Gargo maintained ambitions of playing competitively for Torino.[14] However he was not favoured by the club's incoming presidentGianmarco Calleri.[10]
Gargo joinedStoke City as apre-season trialist ahead of their1995–96 campaign. After fielding him in a friendly match withStockport County, Stoke's managerLou Macari was impressed with Gargo's potential. However, Macari was less impressed with Gargo's poor attendance record and sudden unexplained departure, which took place shortly afterwards.[15]
Increasingly unhappy at his lack of competitive football, Gargo then joined Italian teamUdinese in October 1995.[9] After a further year of inactivity, Gargo was allowed to register with Udinese before their1996–97 season.[16] He transferred to Udinese on afree transfer, on the expiry of his five-year contract with Torino.Real Tamale United remained entitled to a sell-on fee and Gargo gave his former club apromissory note for $20,000 so they did not dispute his transfer to Udinese.[17]
InAlberto Zaccheroni's progressive3–4–3 formation, Gargo was usually deployed in defence, but was also capable of playing in midfield.[18] The team performed above expectations although Gargo sustained ananterior cruciate ligament injury in a 4–0 defeat atSampdoria on 18 May 1997.[16]
With Udinese Gargo came to be recognised as a competent Serie A central defender, although troubled by frequent injuries.[19] With his contract due to expire in 2001, he was linked with transfers toInter Milan,[20] and even an improbable return to Torino.[21]
In January 2003 he was loaned toVenezia and in January 2004 sold toSerie B sideGenoa along withVittorio Micolucci, in exchange forRodrigue Boisfer andValon Behrami, all in aco-ownership deal, which few years later accused for inflated price in order to create paper profit.[22] Udinese and Genoa were already fined in June 2008 by FIGC[23] and criminal charge were continued.
Gargo was a member of themen's national team that won the bronze medal at the1992 Summer Olympics inBarcelona, Spain,[24] and gold in the1991 FIFA U-17 World Championship inItaly.
In 2013 Gargo claimed that he had refused an approach to play for Ghana at the2006 FIFA World Cup, the first time the nation had qualified, after being asked to pay abribe.[25]
Gargo started after his retirement the job as coach in February 2010 byNew Edubiase United.[26] He trained the club of thePoly Tank Division One League until summer 2010. On 6 August 2010, he was named as the new manager of Poly Tank Division One League rivalReal Tamale United.[27] He coached the club RTU until November 2012 and resigned after the relegation from theGhana Premier League his contract.[28]
Gargo was appointed manager of Ghana Premier League clubBA United in March 2015, but was sacked after one match when he accused his players ofbetting against themselves.[29] The following year a short spell in charge ofOkwawu United ended when he fell out with his players again, this time accusing them of "sexually promiscuous acts" in the club house.[30] In September 2018NamibianPremier League clubTura Magic F.C. signed a contract with Gargo as their head coach.[31]
Gargo was born in theBurma Camp inAccra, where his father was aPhysical training instructor in theGhana Army.[32] The family hailed fromBawku, part of theBusanga tribe ofMandé ethnicity.[32]
Udinese
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