Joseph Agyemang-Gyau

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Joseph Agyeman-Gyau

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Joseph Agyeman-Gyau

| birth_date = {{Birth date text|3 June 1939}}

| birth_place = Sunyani, Ghana

| death_date = {{Death-date and age|14 May 2015|3 June 1939}}

| death_place =

| height =

| position = Winger / Midfielder

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 =

| clubs1 = Real Republicans

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 =

| clubs2 = B/A United

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| goals2 =

| years3 = 1968

| clubs3 = Washington Whips

| caps3 = 15

| goals3 = 4

| years4 = 1969–1970

| clubs4 = Washington Darts

| caps4 = 19

| goals4 = 5

| years5 = 1972–1973

| clubs5 = Baltimore Bays

| caps5 =

| goals5 =

| years6 = 1974

| clubs6 = Washington Diplomats

| caps6 = 7

| goals6 = 1

| totalcaps =

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| nationalyears1 = 1960–1968

| nationalteam1 = Ghana

| nationalcaps1 =

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}}

Joseph Agyemang-Gyau (3 June 1939 – 14 May 2015), also known as Agyemang Gyau{{FIFA player|288578}} or Nana Gyau,{{cite web | url=http://www.nasljerseys.com/Players/G/Gyau.Joseph.htm | title=Joseph "Nana" Gyau | work=NASL Jerseys | accessdate=27 May 2013}} was

a former Ghanaian international football player and traditional ruler.

Club career

Agyeman-Gyau started his career as an amateur in his home country playing for Real Republicans and then B/A United. In 1968, he moved to the United States to play football professionally, and played for Washington Whips in the inaugural North American Soccer League season, scoring four goals in 15 games for the club. After the dissolution of the Whips at the end of the season, he joined Washington Darts, where he won the American Soccer League title in 1969. The Darts joined the NASL for the following season, and Agyeman-Gyau appeared 19 times, scoring five goals. He went on to play another two seasons in the ASL with Baltimore Bays before joining his third NASL club Washington Diplomats in 1974, playing seven league games and scoring one goal.

International career

Agyeman-Gyau began representing Ghana in 1960, and went on to win two African Cup of Nations titles with the team in 1963 and 1965.{{cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/6424539.stm | title=Ghanaian football's early years | work=BBC Sport | date=6 March 2007 | accessdate=27 May 2013}} He also represented the team in the 1964 Summer Olympics, scoring in a 3–2 win against Japan{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/tournament=512/edition=197085/matches/match=32081/report.html |title=Ghana - Japan 3:2 (1:1) |publisher=FIFA |accessdate=27 May 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203012402/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/tournament%3D512/edition%3D197085/matches/match%3D32081/report.html |archivedate= 3 December 2013 }} before Ghana were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the tournament. He continued to play for Ghana until 1968 when he moved to the United States.

Personal life

Agyeman-Gyau was married to his wife for 50 years, Mary. He was the father of four children; Christiana, Emmanuel, Amy and Philip Gyau. He was also a grandfather of 7 which includes Joe Gyau who followed in his father's and grandfather's footsteps as a professional soccer player.{{cite news | url=https://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-01-10/sports/36272586_1_beach-soccer-team-philip-father-and-son | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130412074912/http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-01-10/sports/36272586_1_beach-soccer-team-philip-father-and-son | url-status=dead | archive-date=12 April 2013 | title=Silver Spring's Joe Gyau rising up European soccer ranks | newspaper=The Washington Post | date=10 January 2013 | accessdate=27 May 2013}} He later returned to Ghana, where he was appointed as a traditional ruler, becoming the Atipimhene of Berekum.{{cite web | url=http://www.ghana.gov.gh/index.php/news/regional-news/brong-ahafo/17417-chief-urges-lawyers-to-support-adr-in-the-adjudication-processes | title=Chief Urges Lawyers To Support ADR In The Adjudication Processes | work=Government of Ghana | date=6 November 2012 | accessdate=27 May 2013}}{{cite web | url=http://newtimes.com.gh/story/build-a-more-viable-national-team-agyemang-gyau-urges-gfa | title=Build A More Viable National Team - Agyemang Gyau Urges GFA | work=The Ghanaian Times | publisher=New Times Corporation | date=26 February 2013 | accessdate=27 May 2013 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130702021454/http://newtimes.com.gh/story/build-a-more-viable-national-team-agyemang-gyau-urges-gfa | archivedate=2 July 2013 }} He died on 14 May 2015.{{Cite web|url=https://www.modernghana.com/sports/617839/2/ghana-football-hit-with-another-sad-news-of-death|title=Modern Ghana|website=www.modernghana.com|language=en|access-date=2018-06-07}}