Osam Duodou appointed as Gambian coach

Accra, June 1, GNA - Mr Fred Osam Duodou, one of Ghana's renowned coaches has secured a one-year appointment as the head coach of the Gambian Under-17 football team.

The appointment of coach Duodo has been the outcome of fruitful co-operation between the Ghana Olympic Committee and that of the Gambia. Mr Osam Duodou will leave Accra for Gambia this weekend to take up his appointment and is expected to develop a coaching structure for the Gambian Football Association (GFA), aside his duty as the juvenile coach.

The contract would be extended after one the year depending on the performance and the progress that the coach makes during his stay in the West African Country.

Mr George Gomez who represented the Gambian Olympic Committee at the signing ceremony in Accra said that Coach Duodo was also expected to develop a coaching structure for the Gambian Football Association. Coach Osam Duodou's last major appointment was when he handled the Black Stars in the Mali 2002 tournament where the team was kicked out at the quarterfinal stage.

He was also in charge of the Black Stars when they won the 1978 Nation's Cup hosted by Ghana.

Aside these achievements, he was in charge of the national under-20 team, which won the gold medal in the Africa Youth Tournament in 1993 and led the team to the World Youth Tournament in Australia where they won silver.

Gambia would be the hosts of the CAF Under-17 soccer tournament next year, 2005.

Mr Albert K. Tettey, Secretary-General of the Ghana Olympic Committee who witnessed the signing of the agreement on behalf of Ghana wished the coach good luck in his new position.