Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has eulogized legendary Coach, Sam Arday, describing him as a technocrat in modern football management.
Coach Arday died on February 12, 2017, at the Korle- Bu Teaching Hospital after a short illness.
He will be laid to rest on April 7, 2017 at the Osu Cemetery.
Coach Arday, who was affectionately called ‘The Multi System Man’, became famous after he led Ghana to win gold at the 1995 FIFA U-17 World Championship in Ecuador.
Former President Kufuor in an interview with Starr FM’s Henry Asante Twum said Coach Arday inspired his generation.
“I always say that the important thing is how we live our lives. Arday excelled. He was technocratic with football management,” the former President said, adding “that’s how he came to Kotoko and I happen to have been Chairman of Kotoko at the time. That’s how I got to know him. He was very gentle. But very knowledgeable with his profession and he inspired so much confidence in his team and they always performed exceptionally well.
“On the national level, he was one of the few local Coaches that really used scientific Coaching methods to move our teams to excel internationally.
“That’s why when I got the chance to govern our country as president of Ghana and I decided to extend honour to deserving Ghanaians, I picked him in the Sports side and conferred on him, the Order of the Volta award.
“He lived his life excellently and I can say without fear that he impacted positively on his generation. My thoughts are with the family. I believe that Ghanaians will give him a befitting burial”
Coach Arday will be laid in state at the State Banquet Hall in Accra on 6th April 2017.
