Head coach of the Black Stars of Ghana, James Kwesi Appiah, has paid a glowing tribute to late footballer Junior Manuel Agogo who died on Thursday.
Agogo, who was a key player during the African Cup of Nations (CAN) 2008 held in Ghana passed away after battling with stroke for five years.
Kwesi Appiah said “Agogo was the type of player who was loved by many people here in Ghana, we knew he was sick but never thought he could leave us so soon we are all saddened by his demise our condolences to the whole family I believe that they will stay strong especially in this difficult times on behalf of the whole technical team of the Black Stars.
“I remember him for one thing which is, most times when the players are supposed to sleep Agogo will not he will be disturbing everybody joking though he was very jovial we will miss him so much his soul rest in perfect peace, it’s was a different and difficult afternoon for us of all after receiving this bad news.“
Junior Agogo died in a London hospital on Thursday, August 22, 2019. He was 40.
Agogo, who netted 12 goals in 27 appearances for the Black Stars, suffered from a stroke in 2015, three years into retirement.
The striker’s career highlight came in the 2008 African Cup of Nations, a tournament Ghana hosted, where he scored four goals including the winner in the quarter-final against Nigeria.
After a childhood spent in Ghana and England, Agogo began his career at Sheffield Wednesday in 1997 but only managed a couple of games for the Owls and, after a string of lower-league loan spells, moved to the MLS where he was a regular for the Colorado Rapids and San Jose Earthquakes.
After he turned to England in 2002, he enjoyed prolific spells at Barnet and Bristol Rovers before joining Nottingham Forest and helping them to promotion to the Championship. He ended his career with Hibernian in 2012.
