by Dom Agbakpe

A managerial position at a (club or national team) is often the one that bring with the greatest pressure of performance.

Ultimately at their feet that the buck stops. The trigger-happy nature the owner of clubs in modern game has meant the job is often fleeting.

However, there have been a few coaches that have defied all odds and written their names in Ghana’s history books after leading their sides to trophies and prizes that many individuals could only dream of.

Soka25east takes a look at five of them.

SAM ARDAY:

Sam Arday was called the “Multi-System Man” among his peers due to the variety of tactics he employed in helping the Black Starlets win the 1995 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Ecuador as well as the Afcon U-17 Championship in Mali same year.

The veteran trainer led the Ghana U-23 Men’s Soccer team to finish third at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain thereby winning the bronze medal (football).

He managed the Black Stars on two occasions from 1996 to 1997 and again in 2004.

He died in 2017 after a short illness.

FREDERICK OSAM DUODO:

Frederick Osam Duodo guided Ghana to Africa Cup of Nations success in 1982 in Libya.

Besides, he qualified the Black Starlets for the Afcon U-17 Championship in Togo in 2007 and won The Gambia her first ever Afcon U-17 title on homesoil in 2005.

He died in 2016 following an ailment.

EMMANUEL KWASI AFRANIE:

E.K Afranie was Fred Osam Duodo’s number two when Ghana hosted and won the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) on homesoil. Later he was named the substantive head coach in 1984.

Under his tutelage, the Ghana U-20 Men’s Soccer team, Black Satellites won silver at the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship in Argentina.

Again, Afranie was the first coach to qualify the Black Queens to their first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup in 1999.

At club level, he won league titles with Hearts of Oak in 1997 and Asante Kotoko in 2005.

He died in 2016 from stroke.

CHARLES KUMI GYAMFI:

Charles Kumi Gyamfi successfully led the Black Stars to three Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) titles – 1963, 1965 and 1982. He is the only coach to have achieved this feat.

Additionally he was responsible for bringing finesse to Ghana football with his unique coaching method.

He died in 2015 after battling long illness.

CECIL JONES ATTUQUAYEFIO:

Cecil Jones Attuquayefio brought a new dimension and breeze to Hearts of Oak when he joined them in 1998.

The Alchemist led the Accra-based football powerhouse to three (3) League titles, two (2) FA Cups, CAF Champions League, Super Cup, and Confederation Cup.

Jones was the first coach to qualify Benin to her first ever Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in 2004, Tunisia.He died in 2015 from throat cancer.