Ethiopian football legend Ashenafi Girma is set to release his biography titled Ashenafi Girma: From Ashewa Meda – Argentina – Canada on June 22 in Toronto. The Amharic version of the book was authored by the late Ethiopian journalist Genene Mekuria a decade ago.
Girma was an influential member of the Ethiopian national team in the 2000s. He is best remembered for guiding the Ethiopian youth national team to a fourth-place finish in the 2001 African Youth Championship, which was hosted in Addis Ababa. That tournament led Ethiopia to qualify for the 2001 FIFA Youth World Cup in Argentina — the only World Cup tournament the East African nation has participated in throughout its history.
Girma had stints in Ethiopia with Dire Dawa Textile, Ethiopian Coffee, Saint George, and Meta Brewery. He also played briefly in Yemen. His biography chronicles his upbringing, time with the national team, his controversial six-month move from Ethiopian Coffee to derby rivals Saint George, winning the CECAFA Cup, his World Cup experience, and his life in Canada.
He briefly worked as a team leader and technical director at Dire Dawa-based club National Cement before relocating to Canada. He currently runs a youth academy in Toronto after acquiring his coaching license.
The English version of the book will be launched on June 22, as Girma confirmed.
(PAN-AFRICA FOOTBALL)
