Asante Kotoko legend Michael Osei passes on in UK

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, Sarfo Manu, the former Kotoko player collapsed and was pronounced dead at the hospital.

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,” Manu 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.