Former Ghana Black Stars coach, Ben Koufie, has passed on at a hospital in Accra, after a protracted illness.
His death demise was confirmed on Monday evening.
“The GFA regrets to announce the death of our former president, national team coach and ex player Mr Ben Koufie,” a statement from the country’s Football Association said.
“The entire Ghana Football family will sorely miss Uncle Ben Koufie and his depth of knowledge in the game he so dearly loved. RIP Uncle Ben.”
His death comes barely a month after West African neighbours, Nigeria, lost two of their best indigenous coaches – Stephen Keshi and Amodu Shaibu.
Koufie, 84, is one of the rare Ghanaian football personalities who served in all sectors of the game – player, coach and administrator.
A former member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Technical Committee, he also served as FIFA Coaching Instructor for decades, and participated in several tournaments as member of CAF Technical Study Group.
He rose to become head of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) between 2001-2003, and is famous for the launching of a five-year development plan, often cited as the basis for Ghana’s dominance in recent times.
As coach, he was a member of the technical team when Ghana won the Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia, 1965. He was at the helm of the Black Stars from 1968-1973 and guided the West Africans to the 1968 and 1970 AFCON, reaching the final on both occasions.
He went further to coach outside the shores of his country – handling Zimbabwe, Botswana and Ivorian side, Africa Sports.
