After having suffered a heart problem for some time, the Eritrean football legend Tesfay Gebremedhin died in Asmara on June 9, 2012 at 76 years of age. Thousands of friends, relatives, fans and sports lovers bade him farewell as he was buried at Hazhaz Municipal Cemetery in Asmara on June 12, 2012.
The fourth child and first son of decent, loving and hardworking parents, Tesfay enjoyed a lovely childhood where he devoted a larger part of his available time mastering his art – football. He demonstrated his special gift early in life and was able to convince football lovers to predict a bright future. He went through interschool contests, then moved to team football in Division (Serie) C and B with Gejeret and landed at the club that made him famous and vice versa in late 1950s, when Gejeret converted to Telecommunications FC. Tele, with Tesfay and the rest of the team became the national champions one year into their creation and stayed high up for the rest of its existence in the national division.
While devoted to his football, Tesfay went to Comboni and Bet Ghiorgis Elementary and Middle School and attended the former Ascola Vittorio (Prince Mekonen) for his secondary education. However, as many sports lovers often say, Tesfay lived to play football. The ultimate game maker, the mid-field general with precisely measured and calibrated free kicks, short passes, progressive dribbling and his beautifully timed and unremitting long passes, Tesfay was a joy football lovers would love to remember forever. Mengistu Werku, his team mate at the national team once said; ‘When Tesfay controls the ball, a wise striker runs forward. He will drop it at his fit with the perfect timing and the rest will be the striker’s business.” Many others have the same opinion. Tesfay must have blended his natural skills with the refined techniques he copied from older legends like Abraha Gizaw and that technique was there for younger stars like Jemil, Koquah and Tekeste (Ele) to emulate. Tesfay also played for Asmara FC (Hammasien) for a very brief moment.
Tesfay lived in Torino, Italy after 1982 until a few years after the national independence. Tesfay is the father of one beautiful daughter.
Kchine is originally his father’s nickname that may have a wide range of translations which may simply mean good, perfect , clean or refined. Whatever it may mean, it fitted him perfectly well.
Received on Wed Jul 25 2012 - 21:53:58 EDT
