All Ghana Black Stars Coaches: An Historic List Till Date

As long as it is the list of all Ghana Black Stars coaches you’re looking for, I have got it all covered in this article.

But first, let me take care of the question of who the current Black Stars coach is? The name of the New Ghana coach is Charles ‘CK' Akonnor.

I will talk more about him before the end of this post.

Let me now reel out list of Ghana's national football team managers.

I will talk about their assistant coaches in another article.

Ghana Black Stars Coaches

George Edward Ainsley (1958–59)

Ghana’s first-ever coach Ainsley was born on the 15th of April 1915 and died April 1985.

The Englishman was head coach of Ghana’s Black Stars between 1958 and 1959.

Aside from Ghana, he also coached SK Brann (1955), Pakistan (1959–1962), Israel (1963–1964), Workington (1965–1966) and USL Dunkerque (1971).

Adreas Sjolberg (1959–62)

The Swede took over from Ainsley in 1959 but there wasn’t much under his spell as one of Ghana Black Stars coaches.

József Ember (1962)

The Hungarian former footballer turned coach succeeded Sjolberg and had a very short spell as Ghana’s coach.

Ember also coached Nigeria’s National team too between 1965–1968.

Other teams he coached include Gamma FC (1945–1946) and Újpest FC (1949–1950).

Charles Kumi Gyamfi (1963–65)

Gyamfi was born on 4th December 1929 and died on September 1st 2015 at the age of 85 right there in Accra, Ghana.

He was the first indigenous coach of the Black Stars, winning the African Cup of Nations three times (1963, 1965 and 1982) making the first to do so.

He was also the first African to play for a German club side when he joined Fortuna Düsseldorf in 1960.

And how about Ghana’s Olympic debut at the 1964 Summer Olympics? He was the coach who led that team.

Here are the other teams he managed: Africa XI (1972), Municipal Club (1983–1984), Somalia U21 (1984), AFC Leopards (1988–1991), Ashanti Gold (1992–1993).

Carlos Alberto Parreira (1967)

The Brazilian was born 27 February 1943. He is still alive and currently aged 78.

Those old enough will remember him in the 1994 World Cup were he led Seleção to victory.

The other teams he has coached aside from Ghana include Fluminense (1974), Fluminense (1975), Kuwait (assistant coach 1976–1977), Kuwait (1978–1982), Brazil (1983), Fluminense (1984), United Arab Emirates (1985–1988), Saudi Arabia (1988–1990), United Arab Emirates (1990–1991), Bragantino (1991), Brazil (1991–1994), Valencia (1994–1995), Fenerbahçe (1995–1996), São Paulo (1996), MetroStars (1997), Saudi Arabia (1998), Fluminense (1999–2000), Atlético Mineiro (2000), Santos (2000), Internacional (2001–2002), Corinthians (2002–2003), Brazil (2003–2006), South Africa (2007–2008), Fluminense (2009), South Africa (2009–2010), Brazil (technical director 2012–2014).

Karl-Heinz Marotzke (1968–70)

Born 29 March 1934, Marotzke coached Ghana from 1968 to 1970, after which he coached the Green Eagles of Nigeria from 1970 to 1971 and 1974.

The other teams he managed are SF Hamborn 07 (1963–1964), VfL Osnabrück (1964–1966), Schalke 04 (1967) and Botswana (2001).

Ben Koufie (1970–73)

After retiring as a player, Koufie became the second indigenous coach of the Ghanaian national team.

He was born 5 June 1932 but died 4 July 2016 at the age of 84.

Koufie managed other teams which include Asante Kotoko (1971), Great Olympics (1972), Africa Sports (1976–1979), Akosombo Akotex (1979–1980) and Zimbabwe (1988–1992).

Plans to rename the Cape Coast Sports Stadium after Koufie is yet to see the light of day.

Nicolae “Nicușor” Dumitru (1973–74)

The Romanian lived between 12 December 1928 – 8 August 2005.

Other teams managed by Dumitru include Dinamo București (1959–1962), Victoria București (1965–1967), SC Bacău (1967–1969), Dinamo București (1969–1970), Dinamo București (1971–1972), Dinamo București (1974–1976), SC Bacău (1976–1978), Dinamo București (1982–1984), SC Bacău (1984–1986), Victoria București (1986–1988), Argeș Pitești (1988–1989), Progresul Brăila (1991) and Progresul București (1993).

Karl-Heinz Weigang (1974–75)

Weigang lived for more than half a century between 24 August 1935 and 12 June 2017 before he died of a heart attack at the age of 81.

The other teams the German coached include Sri Lanka (1964–1965), South Vietnam (1966–1968), Mali (1970–1973), Malaysia (1979–1982), Cameroon (youth teams 1982–1986), Canon Yaoundé (1987–1988), Gabon (1989–1994), Vietnam (1995–1997), Perak FA (1997–2000), Johor FA (2005–2006) and Perak TBG F.C. (2016–2017).

FIFA Order of Merit and CAF Order of Merit were conferred on Weigang in 1998 for his role in Asian and African football.

O. C. Sampaio (1977–78)

Oswaldo Carlos Sampaio was one of the coaches who failed to qualify Ghana for the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations, thus his short-lived spell was a disastrous one.

Fred Osam-Duodu (1978–81)

Born 4 June 1938, Osam-Duodu has coached Ghana’s national teams at different levels: U-17 (AKA the “Black Starlets), U-20 and the senior team, and at different times beginning from 1978 to 2007.

He won the 1978 Africa Cup of Nations, the 1993 African U-20 Cup of Nations and a silver medal with The Gambia U17 (the only foreign team he managed) at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship.

Osam-Duodu died on October 4th 2016 in Accra.

Charles Kumi Gyamfi (1982–83)

Gyamfi had already coached Ghana between 1963–65, this was his second coming.

Emmanuel Kwasi Afranie (1984)

Afranie was born on December 24, 1943 and managed Hearts of Oak, Asante Kotoko and the Ghana national team.

Aside from those teams he also coached Ghana women's national football team (the Black Queens) between 1998–1999. Afranie died 9 November 2016 at the age of 72.

Herbert Addo (1984)

Born 24 June 1951, Addo won Ghana Premier League Champions with Aduana Stars F(first-timers in the league) in 2010 as well as with Accra Hearts of Oak in 2002.

He also coached Hasaacas, Ghana FC Berlin, Asante Kotoko, Wassaman United, Ashanti Gold and Inter Allies.

Addo died on March 24, 2017.

Rudolf Gutendorf (1986–87)

The German holds a Guinness World Record for managing the highest number of national teams: 55 teams in 32 countries, across five continents.

See all the teams he managed: 1955 (Blue Stars Zürich), 1955–1961 (FC Luzern), 1961 (US Monastir), 1963–1964 (MSV Duisburg), 1965–1966 (VfB Stuttgart), 1968 (St Louis Stars), 1968 (Bermuda), 1968–1970 (FC Schalke 04), 1970–1971 (Kickers Offenbach), 1971 (Sporting Cristal), 1972–1973 (Chile), 1974 (Bolivia), 1974 (Venezuela), 1974 (TSV), 1860 (München), 1975 (Real Valladolid), 1975–1976 (SC Fortuna Köln), 1976 (Trinidad & Tobago), 1976 (Grenada), 1976 (Antigua & Barbuda), 1976 (Botswana), 1976–1977 (Tennis Borussia Berlin), 1977 (Hamburger SV), 1979–1981 (Australia), 1981 (New Caledonia), 1981 (Nepal), 1981 (Tonga), 1981 (Tanzania), 1983 (Fiji), 1984 (Hertha BSC), 1984 (São Tomé & Príncipe), 1984–1985 (Yomiuri SC), 1985–1986 (Ghana), 1986 (Nepal), 1987 (Fiji), 1988 (China), 1988 (Iran U-23), 1991–1992 (China), 1993 (Mauritius), 1995–1996 (Zimbabwe), 1997 (Mauritius), 1999 (Rwanda), 2003 (Samoa).

Rudi died at the age of 93 on September 13, 2019.

Frederick Osam-Duodu (1988–89)

The Ghanaian coach won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1978, the African U-20 Championship in 1993 and the African U-17 Championship in 2005.

He was also the coach of The Gambia national U17 football team (Baby Scorpions) in 2005. Fred died in Accra on the 4th of October 2016.

Burkhard Ziese (1990–92)

Born 1 February 1944, the German managed other teams aside Ghana including 1978–1980 (Sudan), 1985–1986 (Thailand), 1987–1990 (Pakistan), 1994–1997 (Bermuda), 1997–1998 (Zambia) and 2005–2006 (Malawi).

Ziese was aged 66 when he died on April 19, 2010.

SEE ALSO | Richest Footballer In Africa – Top 10 & Their Net Worth

Otto Martin Pfister (1992–93)

Do you know what made “Otto Pfister” popular in Ghana? During his spell as the Black Stars coach he never wore a belt and wore his trousers low, thus his name came to mean someone sagging their trousers.

Funny, right?

“Rules with an Iron-Pfister”! Yea, that’s how his coaching style was referred to in Ghana.

Pfister managed other teams which included 1972–1976 (Rwanda), 1976–1978 (Upper Volta), 1979–1982 (Senegal), 1982–1985 (Ivory Coast), 1985–1989 (Zaire), 1995–1997 (Bangladesh), 1997–1998 (Saudi Arabia), 1998 (Saudi Arabia (Olympic)), 1998–1999 (Saudi Arabia), 1999–2002 (Zamalek), 2002–2004 (CS Sfaxien), 2004–2005 (Nejmeh), 2005 (Al Masry), 2006 (Togo), 2006–2007 (Al Merrikh), 2007–2009 (Cameroon), 2011–2012 (Trinidad and Tobago), 2014 (Al Merrikh), 2015 (USM Alger) and 2017–2018 (Afghanistan).

Frederick Osam-Duodu (1993)

There isn’t much to say again since this was his second coming as Ghana’s coach.

Jørgen Erik Larsen (1993–94)

Born July 25, 1945, the Danish football coach has managed some other teams aside Ghana which are 1987–1990 (Herfølge BK), 1994–1995 (Al Rayyan Sports Club), 1995 (Qatar (youth)), 1995–1996 (Qatar), 1997–1998 (Pahang FA), 1999–2000 (Al Rayyan Sports Club), 2001 (Al-Shaab CSC), 2001–2003 (Kedah FA), 2004–2005 (Al Rayyan Sports Club), 2006 (Brønshøj BK), 2006–2007 (Amager United) and 2007–2008 (Tårnby BK).

At the age of 74 Larsen died 7th February 2020.

E.J. Aggrey-Fynn (1994)

If you remember the Abedi Pele and Tony Yeboah factions in the 1994 Ghana national team then you’ll remember this coach.

The spell of this Black Stars indigenous coach Aggrey Fynn was short-lived after his quest to win the trophy couldn’t materialize in Tunisia 1994 which the Super Eagles of Nigeria eventually won with skipper Stephen Keshi and Dutch manager Clemens Westerhof.

Fynn was the skipper of the 1963 Africa Cup of Nations Ghana winning team.

Petre Gavrilă (1995)

The Romanian football manager started his managerial career with Chimia Râmnicu Vâlcea before being appointed head coach of the Ghana national football team.

Other teams he has managed include 1981–1983 (Chimia Râmnicu Vâlcea), 1983–1984 (Progresul București), 1986–1987 (Chimia Râmnicu Vâlcea), 1991–1995 (Hearts of Oak), 1995 (Sportul Studențesc) and 1995–1996 (Vanspor).

Ismael Kurtz (1996)

The Brazilian football manager led the Black Stars of Ghana to the 1996 African Cup of Nations, after which he was appointed manager of Angola in March 2002.

Sam Arday (1996–97)

Born 2 November 1945, Arday was coach of the Ghana national side on two occasions as you would see him again later in this article where he managed Ghana in 2004.

Arday also coached teams like Ghana U20 AKA The Black Satellites (1991), Ghana U23 (1992–1997) and Ashanti Gold (2004–2005).

Arday, who died in February 2017, was the one who gave Anthony Yeboah the breakthrough from Kumasi Cornerstone.

Marinus “Rinus” David Israël (1997–98)

Nicknamed “Iron Rinus”, the Dutchman spent just about a year in charge of the Ghana national team.

The other teams he has manged are 1982–1984 PEC Zwolle (assistant), 1984–1986 FC Den Bosch, 1986–1988 Feyenoord, 1988–1989 PAOK FC, 1989–1990 FC Den Bosch, 1991–1992 Dinamo București (Technical director), 1992–1997 Netherlands U21, 1998–1999 Al-Jazira Club, 1999–2000 Al-Shabab, 2000–2001 Al-Wahda FC, 2001–2003 ADO Den Haag, 2003–2004 Al-Wahda FC, 2006–2010 Feyenoord (scout) and 2010–2012 VV Young Boys.

Giuseppe Dossena (1998–2000)

The Italian began his managerial career at international level with Ghana. He moved from coaching their U20 in 1998 to managing the Black Stars.

Other teams managed by Dossena include 1998 Triestina (assistant coach), 2000–2001 Ittihad Jeddah, 2001–2002 Paraguay (assistant coach), 2002 Albania, 2002–2003 Al-Ittihad, 2003–2004 Lodigiani and 2010–2012 Saint George FC.

Fred Osam-Duodu (2000)

Once again, Osam-Duodu was called upon to take the reign of the Black Stars of Ghana, but it was a very brief spell.

Cecil Jones Attuquayefio (2001)

Attuquayefio was another Ghanaian coach who used to be a Black Stars player and was part of the team that won the 1965 African Nations Cup.

The Ghanaian also managed the following teams: 1974–1984 Great Olympics, 1982–1984 GFA (Vice-President), 1985–1987 Ghana (Assistant Coach), 1988–1989 Okwawu United, 1989–1990 Stade Abidjan, 1990–1993 Goldfields Obuasi, 1993–1995 Goldfields Academy, 1995–1997 GFA (General Secretary), 1996 Ghana U-23 (Assistant Coach), 1998–1999 Ghana U-17, 1998–2001 Hearts of Oak, 2002 Liberty Professionals F.C., 2003–2004 Benin, 2004– Liberty Professionals F.C. (Technical Director), 2006–2015 Ghana (scout) and in 2007–2009 Ghana (Ministry of Sport).

Attuquayefio died on the 12th of May 2015 from throat cancer at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.

Fred Osam-Duodu (2001–02)

This was the fifth and last time Osam-Duod coached the Black Stars of Ghana. Fred managed Ghana's national team more times than any other coach so far.

Milan Živadinović (2002)

The Serbian was not just Ghana's coach but also the scout for Ghana footballers for Southeast Europe.

He managed other teams which include 1974–1975 Spartak Subotica, 1975–1978 Novi Sad, 1980–1981 Rad, 1981–1983 Sutjeska Nikšić, 1983–1986 Sakaryaspor, 1986–1987 Budućnost Titograd, 1987–1988 Radnički Niš, 1988–1989 Priština, 1989–1990 Al-Shabab, 1990–1991 OFK Beograd, 1991–1992 Budućnost Podgorica, 1992–1994 Red Star Belgrade, 1996–1998 FR Yugoslavia U21 & U23, 1998–1999 FR Yugoslavia, 2000 Al-Nasr, 2000–2001 Iraq, 2002 Obilić, 2002 Yemen, 2004–2005 Saba Battery, 2007 Changsha Ginde and 2011 Myanmar.

Emmanuel Kwasi Afranie (2002–03)

Afranie was recruited one more time to manage Ghana's football and it was short-lived again.

Burkhard Ziese (2003)

Born 1 February 1944, the German football manager was called upon once again to the Black Stars of Ghana but he barely did much his second time around.

Ralf Christoph Bernard Zumdickc (2003)

Another German coach, Zumdickc, was asked to continue from where Ziese stopped, but he didn't make much difference too and was relived of his duty. In other words, three different coaches handled Ghana's Black Stars in 2003 alone.

Mariano Barreto (2003–04)

And then came Barreto. The Portuguese football manager may no longer be the coach of the Black Stars but he is still coaching Asante Kotoko right there in Ghana.

The other teams he has managed include 2004–2005 Marítimo, 2005 Al-Nassr FC, 2005–2006 Dynamo Moscow (assistant), 2006–2007 Naval 1º de Maio, 2007–2008 AEL Limassol, 2009 Kuban Krasnodar (assistant), 2009–2011 Recreativo do Libolo, 2011–2013 Al-Qadisiyah, 2014–2015 Ethiopia, 2016–2018 Stumbras and 2021– till date Asante Kotoko.

Sam Arday (2004)

Arday was among the few coaches the Ghana Football Federation recycled. This time, it was for a very brief spell.

Ratomir Dujković (2004–06)

The Serbian football manager was brought in to stabilize the Ghana National team after a long 3-month search.

Dujković also managed 1983–1986 Galenika Zemun, 1987–1992 Red Star Belgrade (goalkeeping coach), 1992–1995 Venezuela, 1996–1997 Myanmar, 1997–1998 Atlético Zulia, 1998–1999 Universidad de Los Andes, 2001 Estudiantes de Mérida, 2001–2004 Rwanda, 2006–2008 China U-23, 2009–2010 Serbia U-21 and in 2010 Syria.

Claude Le Roy (2006–08)

He is currently the manager of the Togo national football team but became popular at international level when he coached Senegal and the Ghana national team.

The French manager led the Black Stars to their highest position ever in FIFA World Rankings in 2008 when they where placed in the 14th position.

Other teams Le Roy managed include 1980–1983 Amiens, 1983–1985 Grenoble, 1985 Al-Shabab, 1985–1988 Cameroon, 1989–1992 Senegal, 1994–1995 Malaysia, 1998 Cameroon, 1999–2000 Strasbourg, 2002–2003 Shanghai Cosco, 2004 Cambridge United, 2004–2006 DR Congo, 2008–2011 Oman, 2011 Syria, 2011–2013 DR Congo, 2013–2015 Congo and 2016– till date Togo,

Sellas Tetteh Teivi (2008)

Another Ghana indigene came on the scene again to try and lead the national team to victory.

Teivi, during his playing days, played for some clubs in Nigeria such as ACB, Julius Berger, Bendel United and Iwuanyanwu.

Other teams he managed include 1995–1996 Kotobabi Powerlines, 1996–2001 Liberty Professionals, 2001–2002 Ghana U17 (Assistant), 2002–2003 Ghana U17, 2003–2004 Ghana U23, 2004–2008 Ghana (Assistant, 2008–2010 Ghana U20, 2009–2010 Liberty Professionals, 2010–2011 Rwanda, 2013–2016 Ghana U20, 2015–2017 Sierra Leone and 2019–2020 Sierra Leone.

Milovan Rajevac (2008–10)

The story for Teivi didn't go down well and so a foreigner – a Serbian football manager to be précised – was enlisted to continue the Black Stars' qualification campaign to 2010 World Cup.

No one can forget in a hurry how Ghana almost reached the semi-final as they narrowly lost to Uruguay in the quarter-final during penalty shootout.

Other teams Rajevac managed are 1989–1992 Borac Čačak, 1992–1994 KSF Srbija Malmö, 1994–1996 Sloboda Užice, 1996–1998 Progres Frankfurt, 1998–1999 Železnik, 2000–2003 Beijing Guoan (assistant), 2004 Red Star Belgrade (caretaker), 2004–2005 Al-Sadd (assistant), 2006–2007 Vojvodina, 2008 Borac Čačak, 2010–2011 Al-Ahli, 2011 Qatar, 2016 Rudar Velenje, 2016 Algeria and 2017–2019 Thailand.

James Kwesi Appiah (2010–11)

Ghana went back again for a coach from their country who, not only played for their national team but also captained the team between 1987 and 1992, and appeared in two FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.

Appiah was the first black African coach to take the country to the World Cup at the 2014 tournament in Brazil.

Other teams he managed include 2011 Ghana U23 and 2014–2017 Al Khartoum.

Goran “Plavi” Stevanović (2011–12)

Stevanović was appointed in January 2011 as Ghana's new coach and on 19 March 2012, the Serbian was sacked as the coach of Ghana.

However, Goran coached other teams which include 2001 Čukarički Stankom, 2001–2002 Železnik, 2003–2006 Serbia and Montenegro (assistant), 2007–2009 Partizan (assistant), 2009–2010 Partizan, 2013 Veria, 2013 Qingdao Jonoon, 2015 Agrotikos Asteras and in 2018 Qingdao Jonoon.

James Kwesi Appiah (2012–14)

And for a second time, Appiah was called upon to manage Ghana's national team and this time qualified the Black Stars for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, thus becoming the first black African coach to take the country to the World Cup.

Maxwell Konaduc (2014)

Konaduc took over after Appiah left his position as Ghana manager by mutual consent in September 2014. He was a member of the Men's National Team that won the bronze medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.

Maxwell also managed other teams that include 2009–2010 All Stars, 2011–2012 Asante Kotoko, 2011 Ghana U23 (Assistant coach), 2012–2013 Ghana (Assistant coach), 2012–2013 Ghana U-20, 2013–2014 Ghana U-23 and currently coach Asante Kotoko since 2019.

Avraham “Avram” Grant (2014–17)

The Israeli was drafted in to coach the Ghana national football team in 2014 but threw in the towel after a defeat in the semi-finals of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

But there are other teams Grant manage and they include 1972–1986 Hapoel Petah Tikva (youth), 1986–1991 Hapoel Petah Tikva, 1991–1995 Maccabi Tel Aviv, 1995–1996 Hapoel Haifa, 1996–2000 Maccabi Tel Aviv, 2000–2002 Maccabi Haifa, 2002–2006 Israel, 2007–2008 Chelsea, 2009–2010 Portsmouth, 2010–2011 West Ham United, 2012 Partizan Belgrade, 2014 BEC Tero Sasana (technical director) and in 2018 NorthEast United (interim).

Maxwell Konaduc (2017)

Konaduc was appointed caretaker manager of Ghana's senior national team, for the second time – just briefly.

James Kwesi Appiah (2017–20)

Appiah was re-appointed for a third time as the coach of the Ghana national team in April 2017, replacing former Chelsea manager Avram Grant. Not much success was recorded in this third term and so was sacked in January 2020.

Charles Kwabla Akonnor (2020–till date)

Akonnor is the current manager of the Ghana national team after been appointed on January 15th 2020 alongside David Duncan as his assistant coach.

Charles' coaching record goes thus: 2009–2010 Sekondi Wise Fighters, 2010–2012 Sekondi Wise Fighters (director of sport), 2012 Hearts of Oak, 2014 Ashanti Gold, 2017–2018 Ashanti Gold, 2018–2019 Asante Kotoko, 2019–2020 Ghana (assistant coach) and now in 2020–till date Ghana's head coach.

This article was most recently revised and updated 3 years ago