Charles Kumi Gyamfi, Ghana’s celebrated ex-international footballer and former national coach says Ghana should not expect any favours in the upcoming World Cup in South Africa. “In 2006 World Cup, Ghana was an unknown quantity and they might have been treated with kid gloves. Now that they are in top reckoning, opposition will be tough this time round”, the veteran football connoisseur told me in an exclusive interview in Accra.

C.K.Gyamfi, affectionately called CK was marking his 60^th anniversary in competitive club football since he joined Koforidua Mighty Sailors in 1949 while in the employment of A.G.Leventis, a multi national Greek company. He expects Ghana to improve upon their show in Germany 2006 and advises the players to approach every game “with an open mind”. He says playing alongside Germany, Australia and Serbia in the group stages is quite tricky but with the right approach Ghana will progress.

CK also expects Ghana to use the Cup of Nations in Angola as a fitting trial for the World Cup. Since he led the Black Stars of Ghana to win the Africa Cup in Libya in 1982, the cup has eluded Ghana with the best show being the final against Cote d’Ivoire in 1992 that Ghana lost in a penalty shoot-out.C.K. Gyamfi’s name is so synonymous with football in Ghana that he is fondly referred to as the living legend. The man has lived in football for more than half a century as a footballer of international repute, renowned coach, astute manager and brilliant administrator.

C.K. Gyamfi being introduced to Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah before the start of an international match at Accra Stadium. In the background is Mohammed Salisu.

A little life story of CK will be appropriate on this momentous occasion of his 60 years association with the game of football. As a footballer, CK achieved numerous firsts. He was among the first batch of Ghanaian footballers to tour Britain in 1951.The national team played 10 matches during the tour with CK topping the scoring chart with eight goals. A fast dribbler and marksman, CK distinguished himself as the top striker in the national team for over a decade and was captain from 1957-60. Between 1960 and 1962, CK became the first Ghanaian to play professional soccer in Germany playing for first division club, Fortuna Düsseldorf. He so endeared himself to the German fans that nicknamed him “Thunder Weather”.CK was appointed the first Ghanaian national soccer in 1962 and he quickly took the Black Stars to win the West African Gold Cup in his first assignment. Ghana beat Nigeria 3-0 in the final in Accra.

In 1963, he trained the Black Stars to win the African Cup of Nations for the first time with a 3-0 win over Sudan in the final at Accra Stadium. The following year, CK took the Black Stars to the Tokyo Olympic Games as the first African team south of the Sahara to qualify for the Olympic soccer series. In 1965, CK attended an intensive coaching and physical education course at the Sports University of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro and returned with new tactics that enabled the Black Stars to retain the African Cup in Tunis with a pulsating 3-2 win over host nation, Tunisia.

C.K. Gyamfi (3rd from the left back row) pictured with Accra Hearts of  Oak in the late Fifties.

In 1968, the Nation awarded CK the Grand Medal for his contribution to Ghana football. CK was inspired by this honour and he confidently took the Black Stars to the Mexico Olympiad that year’s again took the Black Stars to the Munich Olympics in 1972 and was later in the year awarded ”Ordre National du Lion” by President Senghor of Senegal for his contribution to African football. CK was among the team of top African coaches who handled the Africa 1X for a special competition in Mexico in 1973.After passing out with distinction in a coaching course at the Football Academy in Brazil in 1981, CK together with coaches Osam Duodu and Kwasi Afranie took the Black Stars to Libya in 1982 where they won the Africa Cup for an unprecedented fourth time.CK left Ghana for Somalia in 1983 to handle the Somalian national team for four years. He left Somalia in 1987 for Kenya where he trained top division club, AFC Leopards, to win several laurels.

He returned home in 1990 to be appointed Technical Director of the Ghana Football Association .He brilliantly held this post until 1995 when he retired from the public service. He later on took a short contract with the then league champions Obuasi Goldfields before finally “hanging his boots”.CK recalls an event on Easter Sunday in 1954 as his most memorable as a young national footballer. Then playing for Kumasi Asante Kotoko, he was accused of taking a team to honour a friendly match against Accra Hearts of Oak at Abetifi Kwahu, without permission.

Kotoko had been invited for the match but the request had been turned down by management at the last minute. CK felt that Kwahu fans in the Easter mood would be disappointed. So he quickly raised a team (MY ELEVEN) known in local parlance as “Wonkye nni” or “shabo-shabo”.It was a collection of players from Kumasi Evergreens and some players of Kotoko. The match turned out to be a fiasco. Fans rioted when they realised that it was not a full Kotoko side.Kotoko management were not amused at all.CK was seriously reprimanded and he in turn, quit the club and formed a rival team Great Ashanti. Incidentally, CK did not stay in Kumasi long enough with his new team. He joined Accra Hearts of Oak where he really made his mark as a great footballer until he left for Germany in 1960 to play professional football has an interesting childhood story. He started playing soccer at a very tender age as a goalkeeper at Okorase Primary school in the Eastern region. But he found goalkeeping dull and decided to play upfront. And he wasn’t doing badly.

In 1941, he left his father, Nana Kumi, at Okorase to join his mother, Dinah Dodua Dodoo, at Otublohum in Accra. He had difficulty getting admission to Primary Four and it was his soccer artistry that saved him. One afternoon, young CK went to the Accra Royal School at Korle Gonno to watch a match between the school’s junior team against the seniors. After the game for a while CK walked straight to the sportsmaster, Mr. Lamptey Bruce, and begged to be fielded because, he realized he could play better than most of the players. The sports master felt” the small boy from the bush” was being petulant, but since he insisted, he gave him the chance. CK scored two beautiful goals for the juniors. He became an instant celebrity and was carried shoulder high by the obviously elated spectators. The next day he had admission into the Royal school.

CK is currently a sub chief at Okorase.and he spends most of his leisure time watching football on television. He is extremely happy that the FIFA World Cup is coming to Africa during his life time and is hopeful African teams would make a big impact at the championships.CK loves football to the hilt and his only worry is that none of his 13 boys did play any serious football.

Cheers everybody and keep loving sports.

FROM MY ARCHIVES

Dec 18th 1993: Pele has been barred by FIFA President Joao Havelange after becoming embroiled in a legal dispute with Brazilian Soccer Confederation President Ricardo Teixerz. The Brazilian football boss who is Havelange’s son- in -law has sued Pele and his company for defamation after Pele alleged in a magazine interview last month that the Confederation had been corrupt in its business practices over television rights