Former Great Olympics player-coach Godwin Attram has identified the lack of structures and ill planning as the major challenges plaguing the Ghana premier league side.

Attram, who handled the Accra based Olympics during the 2017 season, believes the club can function better and switch fortunes if the right structures are laid.

The ex-Ghana International is proposing the formation of an Ex-Players Committee made of some of the achieved and experienced former players of the club.  

“Olympics is a great club. In Ghana when you talk about Hearts of Oak and Kotoko and you can also talk about Great Olympics. The Club has also produced most of the nation’s greatest players," he said on last Saturday’s edition of the Joy Sports' Link.

“The problem is the structures. Olympics need the right structures. I even advised the new board, to form an ex-players committee. They will scout the players for the coaches!”

Attram explained that the formation of the committee can be of great benefit to the club. He said Olympics can come back to winning ways, they can transfer players and make money to run the club.

I am not involved in the problems, internal politics and the fighting. I speak to the Board Chairman, Amarkai Amarteifio every day because I am Olympics and Olympics is me.”

On the possibility of making a return to the dugout for Olympics, he said “I cannot turn my back on the club. I got a call from Mr Oloboi Commodore (the club chairman) about a coaching vacancy. But I declined because of my current role as a national coach (Assistant of the Local Black Stars).”

He explained that the responsibilities at the national team level will hardly permit him to take up the full-time role.

From his perspective the background support he gives current coach, Annor Walker is enough for now.

“Planning is the problem. We don’t plan well at Olympics. The club has produced some illustrious players. Sometimes I think about clubs such as Medeama, Berekum Chelsea and Inter Allie and ask myself - which players have these players produced? But still, they are doing well so why not Olympics?”

Attram specifically pointed out club legends like George Alhassan, Ricky Cheema, Dan Quaye, whom he believes can be of great help.

“Not all ex-players are good coaches. Some can help in different ways. They have the eye for good players and can be of great help to the club,” he said. 

He also faults the club’s supporters for some of the club’s problems. “Some of them are part of the politics; some are induced by money to follow what is not right.

But at least I am happy that the fans realize what I brought to the table. I was bringing many ideas and business deals because I have the connections and networking.

Sometimes players consider what the club can do for them especially with opportunities in bigger leagues around the world.”    

As a player/coach Attram’s relationship with his former club hit a rough curve when he was asked to assist newly-appointed Tom Strand.

He tendered his resignation but the club declined. Years on Attram is running his own Academy, Attram de Visser and looks forward to producing the next set of world-beaters from his outfit.

As at the suspension of football in Ghana due to the coronavirus, Olympics were ninth on the league log with 20 points from 15 games.

Record

The ‘Dade Boys’ won the Ghana Premier League twice in 1970 and 1974 and also made it to the semi-final of the CAF Champion’s League ( then known as the Africa Cup of Champion Clubs) in 1971. Olympics only managed a first round appearance in the same competition four years later. They made four appearances in the CAF Cup Winners CUP for times.