Youth and Sports Minister, Dr. Mustapha Ahmed, has said the death of former Accra Hearts of Oak coach Sir Cecil Jones Attuquayefio is a huge national loss.
Speaking on Kasapa FM’s afternoon sports show, Dwedwamu, Ahmed said his fondest memory of the late coach is one of a true national hero who approached his profession with so much passion, dedication and valor.
Government he said was in the process of sending a delegation to the Kaneshie residence of the departed coach. Ghana’s president, he added, will be officially briefed on the unfortunate incident in the next few hours.
Attuquayefio, who guided Accra Hearts of Oak to their first ever continental triumph in 2000, passed on today.
This year marked some 14 years after he achieved back-to-back continental successes with Hearts of Oak. His death comes a few days to Hearts’ first leg CAF Confederations Cup match against Esperance in Tunis.
One of the most respected coaches of his time, he guided Hearts to successive domestic and continental triumphs. He also coached Ghana’s junior and senior national football teams.
Attuquayefio qualified Benin to its first ever Nation’s Cup appearance.
The former Black Stars player battled a prolonged throat cancer.
