Head coach of Hearts of Oak Edward Nii Odoom has included Emmanuel Osei Kuffour and Yusif Chibsah in his all-time Ghana Premier League XI.
The soft-spoken gaffer is one of many football coaches and advocates to have named their best Ghana Premier League XI since football was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Nii Odoom named a strong XI set-up conspiring of Emmanuel Osei Kuffour, who is arguably the best player to have graced the top-flight league, and also former Asante Kotoko midfielder Yusif Chibsah.
Conspicuously missing from his list are former Hearts of Oak deadly duo Charles Taylor and Dong Bortey.
Below is Coach Odoom's all-time Ghana Premier League XI
Simon Addo
He was a sensational shot-stopper with his acrobatic saves from long range and close range as well.
Simon Addo won the 1993/1994 and 1994/1995 Ghana Premier League with Ashanti Gold, before returning to Tema Ghapoha to continue his illustrious career in the Ghana Premier League.
Addo during his heydays in the Ghana Premier League was Ghana's number 1 goalkeeper. He kept the post for the Black Stars during the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations which the four-time champions of Africa placed fourth.
And also represented Ghana in the 1996 Summer Olympics held in Atlanta, USA.
Coach for Accra Hearts of Oak Edward Odoom opted for a four back which has Frank Amankwaah and Godfred Yeboah as laterals and a central pair of Sam Johnson and Agyemang Duah.
Frank Amankwah
Bayereba, as he was affectionately called by the Ghanaian football loving fans, was not only Ghana's best right full-back, but he was the finest in his position on the African continent. Frank Amakwah joined Asante Kotoko from Kumapem and helped the Porcupine Warriors win the 1993 Ghana Premier League before the change over from amateur league to professional football in 1993/1994 season.
His overlapping, crosses and incisive passes when surging forward was amazing and because of his speed, he could easily trackback to support in defensive duties. Those who couldn't watch Frank Amankwah can liken his work rate to that of Roberto Carlos at his prime. He is widely regarded as the best right full back Ghana has ever seen.
During his days in the Premier League, he cemented his place in the starting berth in the national team and featured for the Black Stars in 1994 and 1996 AFCONs. In 1994 despite Ghana's early exit from the continent's showpiece, his individual effort earned him a place in the all-star team of the tournament alongside Abedi Pele as the two Ghanaians who made the list.
Godfred Yeboah
Popularly called TV3 because compared to TV3 for his clean tackles. Godfred Yeboah was an effective left full-back and noted for his runs and ability to quickly trackback to support the defence.
Yeboah was part of the Asante Kotoko team that won the Ghana Premier League in 2003 and 2005.
His also became a member of the Back Stars during his prime and played a part in some of the qualifying games of the Black Stars for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Edward Agyemang Duah
Rambo, as he was nicknamed, was a solid centre back and a very difficult one to beat.
Agyemang Duah won the Ghana Premier League title with AshGold and Hearts of Oak and before that he was part of the Kotoko team that won the 1993 league.
Agyemang Duah also played in three CAF Champions League final. He was at the losing end at Kotoko in 1993 and AshGold in 1997, but he finally clinched the trophy with Hearts of Oak in 2000.
Agyemang Duah was a regular member of the Black Stars at his prime in the Ghana Premier League and represented Ghana in the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations.
Coach Edward Odoom selected former Kotoko midfielder Chibsah as the defensive midfielder and deployed Emmanuel Osei Kuffour to the attacking central midfield role
Yussif Alhassan Chibsah
He is one of the products of Alhaji Grusah’s King Faisal.
Yussif Chibsah played as a central midfielder- he was a ball winner, able to hold on to the ball to retain possession and a good passer of the ball.
Chibsah played for King Faisal from 1999 to 2003, before joining Asante Kotoko. At Kotoko, he became very crucial to the midfield of the Porcupine Warriors and contributed immensely as they won the Ghana Premier League in 2005.
He was also a member of the Asante Kotoko team that suffered a defeat in the final of the CAF Confederation Cup in 2004 which the final was played in January 2005.
Chibsah also played for the national teams of Ghana: he played for the Black Stars and even represented the Black Meteors in the 2004 summer Olympics in Athens.
Emmanuel Osei Kuffour
Emmanuel Osei Kuffour is arguably the greatest player in the Ghana Premier League history. He started playing in the GPL in the 1993/1994 with Dwarfs as a defender before he was converted into an attacking midfielder. He featured in the GPL until the 2007/2008 season when he won the league with Asante Kotoko, making him the longest-serving player in the professional league.
He won five league titles with Hearts of Oak and a league title with Asante Kotoko, making him one of the most decorated players in the GPL.
Kuffour’s leadership qualities were awesome and had the opportunity to captain the Black Stars during the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). He was a schemer cum scorer as well. Hearts of Oak owe their 2000 CAF Champions League title to him - he scored 10 goals to win the top scorer of the competition.
Former AshGold midfielder Adjetey Lee and Joseph Fameyeh were utilised in the right and left midfield, respectively.
Adjetey Lee
Adjetey Lee was an attacking midfielder, who linked up very well with the strikers. The former Ho Voradep midfielder was part of the Goldfield (now AshGold) team that won the Ghana Premier League for three consecutive seasons.
He also played for the Black Stars in the 1990s.
Joseph Fameyeh
He operated as a right-winger or as a centreback. His asset was his speed and efficiency in front of goal.
Accra Hearts of Oak signed him from Afienya United and the forward hit the ground running. Fameyeh emerged as the Ghana Premier League top scorer in the 1997/1998 season.
He also paid his dues to the various national teams, especially the U-17 and U-20 teams of Ghana, as he represented Ghana in both the 1993 FIFA-U 17 World- He was one of the standout players for the Black Starlets as Ghana finished runners-up losing the final against Brazil.
Coach Odoom lined-up Shilla Alhassan and deadly striker Ishmael Addo in attack
Ishmael Addo
He is the greatest scorer in the history of the Ghana Premier League (GPL). Ishmael Addo was a striker who didn't have footwork, but his assets were his good vision and positioning which were second to none in the opponents’ goal area.
He won the Ghana Premier League top scorer in 1999 after being promoted from the junior side, bagging 16 goals.
Addo registered 19 goals the following season and in 2001 he recorded 22 goals which are the highest goal tally in a single GPL season.
He has paid his dues at the national team level. In 1999 during the FIFA U-17 World Cup, he emerged as the top scorer as Ghana placed third and despite the opportunities that came his way to play for the Black Stars, he failed to translate his devastating form at club level to the national team.
Shilla Alhassan
He was a clinical finisher in front of goal and utilised his strength to good effect by bullying defenders
Shilla Illiasu excelled at Real Tamale United, which motivated Asante Kotoko to secure his signature.
He spent seven seasons at Asante Kotoko helping them to win their first Ghana Premier League title in 2003.
Alhassan also had an intermittent Black Stars call-ups, but he never featured for Ghana in any major tournament.