Former Hearts of Oak chief executive Harry Zakour has revealed that signing Ghana football legend Emmanuel Osei Kuffour was one of the most difficult deals he completed during his time with the Phobians.
Zakour, who played a major role in building the dominant Hearts of Oak side of the late 1990s and early 2000s, explained that convincing Kuffour to join the club required significant effort because of the competition for his signature.
Kuffour joined Hearts of Oak from Ebusua Dwarfs and went on to become one of the most influential players in the club’s history. He was a key member of the famous “64 Battalion” squad that dominated Ghana football and achieved continental success.
The versatile attacker played a crucial role in Hearts’ historic CAF Champions League triumph in 2000, where he finished as the competition’s top scorer after netting 10 goals. He also helped the club win multiple domestic titles during their golden era.
Zakour, who served as Hearts of Oak’s leader during one of the club’s most successful periods, credited the signing of top talents such as Kuffour as a major factor behind the team’s dominance in Ghana and Africa. Under his leadership, Hearts won major trophies including the Ghana Premier League, FA Cup and CAF Champions League.
Osei Kuffour later became a Black Stars captain and earned recognition as one of Ghana’s finest players of his generation, earning 31 caps for the national team.
