Former Gambia U-17 coach passes away

Former Gambia U-17 head coach Fred Osam-Duodu passed away on Tuesday 4 October 2016 at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana.

Osam-Duodu, who led the Gambia U-17 to success on home soil in 2005 when they lifted the African Youth Cup on home, died after a short illness, according to sources close to the highly respected technical brains.

The Gambia beat Ghana 1-nil in that final played at the Independence Stadium in Bakau.

 The Ghanaian-born coach also qualified The Gambia for a FIFA Youth Tournament in Peru for the first time that same year.

He was in hospital for several weeks and passed away at the age of 78.

Osam-Duodu also led the Black Stars to the 1978 Africa Cup of Nations title.

In 1993 he won the continental under-20 title with Ghana before taking them to the runners-up spot at the World Youth Championship the same year.

Duodu returned for his final stint as Ghana coach for their 2002 Nations Cup finals campaign in Mali.

He acted as technical director and General Secretary of the Ghana Football Association as well as served as an instructor for the Confederation of African Football and Fifa.

Meanwhile, members of the Ghana Association of Coaches are expected to officially pay a visit to the family today and as well inform the Ghana FA ahead of the Black Stars game against Uganda.