Ex-national coach EK Afranie passes away

The Ghana Football Association regrets to announce the death of former national coach Emmanuel Kwasi Afranie after a tragic accident in Suhum on the Accra-Kumasi highway.

The former national team handler was being transferred to Kumasi from the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital after suffering a mild stroke last month.

FA Vice President George Afriyie recently paid a visit to the ex Black Stars coach to wish him well on behalf of the FA president and the entire football association.

Coach Afranie was assistant to the late Fred Osam Duodu (who also died a few weeks ago), when Ghana won the 1978 African Cup of Nations on home soil.

He was appointed substantive head coach of the senior national team in 1984.

He is however best known for leading Ghana to the final of the 2001 World Youth Championship where he unearthed players such as Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari, Derek Boateng, John Pantsil, John Mensah etc, who later became the back bone for the Black Stars in their first two qualifications to the World Cup.

He also managed various national teams including female sides.

At club level, he was head coach for a number of premier league clubs and won the league with both Hearts of Oak (1997) and Asante Kotoko (2005).

Source:GFA