The former Ghana FA Chairman has been wishing the Black Stars well from his sick bed.

Also a former Ghana and Zimbabwe national team coach, Ben Koufie has had two surgeries in the past few months and is expected to have another in the next fortnight.

In a brief interview with Joy Sports at the SSNIT Specialist Hospital in Accra, Koufie - with a rather cheerful smile - said, "The Black Stars is my team. I have always been a footballer and will remain a footballer till death."

The former Zimbabwe Manager, said the flag of Ghana is very important for Ghanaians - the reason why high performance is required of the team every time. "They shouldn't get complacent when matches are won. Rather they must fight on and on till Ghana gets to the topmost heights of world football," he told Joy Sports.

The Black Stars look forward to completing the AFCON 2017 qualifying campaign against Mauritius away on Sunday needing only a point to seal a place at the football showpiece in Gabon.  

Affectionately called Uncle Ben, he played for Ghanaian clubs Cornerstones and Dwarfs, and then got to the opportunity to feature for Black Stars in the 50s. After training adequately he started off his coaching career and this took him through clubs like Ghana's Asante Kotoko, Great Olympics, Akosombo Akotex, Cote d'Ivoire's Africa Sports.

He also managed Ghana's senior national football team, the Black Stars between 1970 and 1973; and then Zimbabwe between 1988 and 1992.

The 83-year-old also served as Chairman of the Ghana FA between 2001 and 2003. Before that Mr Ben Koufie had served the Botswana FA as it Technical Director for nine years.

Meanwhile the highly-experienced CAF Instructor has expressed gratitude to Ghana FA President, Kwesi Nyantakyi and his team for showing him care and love throughout his hospitalization.

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