Former Asante Kotoko player and coach Michael Osei is dead
Asante Kotoko legend, Michael Osei, has passed away in his base in London, United Kindom.
The former Bibiani Gold Stars manager, who took a break from coaching, died on Friday, November 15, 2024, at age 53.
According to the secretary for Asante Kotoko Legends, Tony Oduro, the former Kotoko player collapsed and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Michael Osei, born on September 15, 1971, in Kumasi, Ghana, was a distinguished footballer and coach who made significant contributions to Ghanaian football. He began his playing career with Okwawu United before joining Asante Kotoko in 1989, where he played until 1992. During his tenure with Kotoko, Osei was part of the team that won the Ghana Premier League titles in the 1990–91 and 1991–92 seasons.
In 1992, Osei moved to Europe, signing with Vorwärts Steyr in Austria, where he made 13 appearances. He later joined Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany, although he did not make any first-team appearances for the club. Osei also had stints with other clubs, including Mainz 05, where he played five matches and scored one goal, and Caracas FC in Venezuela.
Internationally, Osei earned three caps for the Ghana national team in 1990, contributing to the squad during the 1992 African Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Transitioning into coaching after his playing career, Osei served as an assistant coach for FSV Frankfurt II from 2008 to 2011. He returned to Ghana, where he held coaching positions with New Edubiase United, Asante Kotoko, Liberty Professionals, and Bibiani Gold Stars. Notably, he led Asante Kotoko to victory in the Ghana President's Cup in 2016, becoming the first individual to win the cup both as a player and a coach.
Osei was a cousin of former Ghanaian international footballer Tony Yeboah, with whom he played at Okwawu United and Eintracht Frankfurt.
After battling a heart condition in recent months, Michael Osei passed away on November 15, 2024, in London, at the age of 53.
In an interview with GhanaWeb, he revealed that Michael Osei had experienced heart problems, leading to the installation of a heart enhancer.
"He collapsed. Michael had heart issues so he had heart enhancer but I can't confirm whether that led to him collapsing. I spoke with him last Thursday and he said he had had offers from Ghanaian clubs but he was waiting on Klopp. They were teammates, so he said Klopp was willing to get him a club to coach," Oduro said.
Michael Osei rose to prominence through the Ghana Premier League, where he made his mark as both a player and a coach. He played for Asante Kotoko and Okwawu United before moving to Europe.
During his time in Europe, he featured for several notable Bundesliga clubs, including Eintracht Frankfurt and Mainz 05, where he played alongside former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp. Osei also had a brief stint with the Black Stars before retiring from football in 2006 to pursue a career in coaching.
He served as an assistant coach for the Eintracht Frankfurt reserve side before relocating to Ghana. He managed New Edubiase, Asante Kotoko, Liberty Professionals and Bibiani Gold Stars. He relocated to England after his contract with Gold Stars expired in 2023.
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