Karim Abdul Razak

{{Short description|Ghanaian football manager and former player}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Karim Abdul Razak

| image =

| fullname = Karim Abdul Razak Tanko

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1956|4|18}}

| birth_place = Kumasi, Ghana

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height =

| position = Midfielder

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1972–1975

| clubs1 = Cornerstones

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 1975–1979

| clubs2 = Asante Kotoko

| caps2 = 345

| goals2 = 154

| years3 = 1979–1980

| clubs3 = New York Cosmos

| caps3 = 3

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 1980–1981

| clubs4 = Emirates

| caps4 =

| goals4 =

| years5 = 1981

| clubs5 = Asante Kotoko

| caps5 =

| goals5 =

| years6 = 1981–1982

| clubs6 = Al Ain

| caps6 =

| goals6 =

| years7 = 1982–1985

| clubs7 = Arab Contractors

| caps7 =

| goals7 =

| years8 = 1985–1988

| clubs8 = Asante Kotoko

| caps8 =

| goals8 =

| years9 = 1988–1990

| clubs9 = Africa Sports

| caps9 =

| goals9 =

| nationalyears1 = 1975–1988

| nationalteam1 = Ghana

| nationalcaps1 = 70

| nationalgoals1 = 25

| manageryears1 = 1999

| managerclubs1 = Asante Kotoko

| manageryears2 = 1999–2000

| managerclubs2 = Dragons de l'Ouémé

| manageryears3 = 2000

| managerclubs3 = Ghana (assistant)

| manageryears4 = 2000–2002

| managerclubs4 = Stade Malien

| manageryears5 = 2003–2004

| managerclubs5 = Asante Kotoko

| manageryears6 = 2004–2006

| managerclubs6 = Stade Malien

| manageryears7 = 2011–2012

| managerclubs7 = Stade Malien

}}

Karim Abdul Razak TankoSpelling variations of name include Karimu and Abdoul. (born 18 April 1956{{cite web|url=http://www.uefa.com/competitions/meridiancup/news/kind=1/newsid=1880.html |title=All-Stars clash kick off in Bari |access-date=6 April 2007 |publisher=UEFA |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040312062829/http://www.uefa.com/competitions/MeridianCup/News/Kind%3D1/newsId%3D1880.html |archive-date=12 March 2004 }}) is a Ghanaian football coach and former midfielder. He played for several clubs in the 1970s and 1980s, notably the local club Asante Kotoko and the New York Cosmos in the defunct North American Soccer League (NASL).

Popularly called the "Golden Boy", Razak also played for the Ghana national team, helping it win the 1978 African Cup of Nations. He was named African Footballer of the Year later that year.{{Cite web|last=Teye|first=Prince Narkortu|date=17 October 2018|title=Ghana's 1978 Afcon winner Razak bemoans lack of national team coaching opportunity {{!}} Goal.com|url=https://www.goal.com/en-gh/news/ghanas-1978-afcon-winner-razak-bemoans-lack-of-national-team/15zw08hdbybkx1x8boskaousmx|access-date=2 July 2021|publisher=Goal}}

Razak, who also played for clubs in the UAE, Egypt and Ivory Coast, was ranked by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in 2007 as one of the confederation's 30 best footballers of the previous 50 years.

Early life

Razak was born in Kumasi to Alhaji Abdul Karimu and Hajija Ishatu. He studied at Asem Boy's Elementary School. He started his playing career at local youth team football, before moving to Kumasi Cornerstones in 1972.{{cite web|url=http://www.cybereagles.com/articles/default.asp?id=69 |title=ABDUL "THE GOLDEN BOY" RAZAK |access-date=6 April 2007 |date=29 December 2004 |last=Ojinmah |first=Iwedi |work=Nigerian Super Eagles fans website |publisher=CyberEagles.com forum |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070216214255/http://www.cybereagles.com/articles/default.asp?id=69 |archive-date=16 February 2007 |url-status=dead }}

Club career

In 1975, he moved to Ghana's most successful club, Asante Kotoko. After a four-year spell with Kotoko, during which he became a member of the national team and earned the 1978 African Footballer of the Year award,{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/afrpoy78.html |title=African Player of the Year 1978 |access-date=6 April 2007 |last=Pierrend |first=José Luis |date=14 December 2000 |work=Football statistics website |publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation |quote=1. Abdul RAZAK – 58 pts – Ghana – Asante Kotoko (Gha)}} Razak left Ghana in 1979 for the New York Cosmos of the NASL, where he played alongside former World Cup winners Franz Beckenbauer and Carlos Alberto.{{cite web|url=http://www.nycosmos.com/cosmos/alltimeroster.html |title=All-Time Player Roster |access-date=7 April 2007 |publisher=Soccer Camps of America Inc. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070219092229/http://www.nycosmos.com/cosmos/alltimeroster.html |archive-date=19 February 2007 |url-status=dead }}

In 1981, after spending almost two years at the New York club, the Ghanaian forward decided to return home, signing with his former club Asante Kotoko. After one year, he moved, this time to Al Ain of UAE, where he spent two seasons. Razak then signed with Arab Contractors of Egypt, where he spent the next two years of his playing career. before returning to Ghana for a third spell with Kotoko. After another five years with the Ghanaian club, Razak moved to Ivorian side Africa Sports of Abidjan, where he retired two years later.

International career

Razak was a member of the Ghana national team that competed at the 1978 African Cup of Nations as hosts of the tournament. He scored two game-winning goals, one against Zambia in the first round, and another one to defeat Tunisia 1–0 in semi-finals. His decisive goal against Tunisia has been referred to as the "Golden Goal". Ghana defeated Uganda in the final, winning their 3rd continental title. In good part due to his effort to help Ghana win the African Cup, Razak was named African Player of the Year months later, becoming the second of three Ghanaian players ever to win the award.

According to a UEFA report, Razak appeared in a total of 70 international matches for Ghana, scoring 25 goals.

Coaching career

After retiring from playing, Razak, who had become a player-coach while at Al Ain, started his coaching career, being in charge of several semi-professional Togolese clubs, before moving to Benin's AS Dragons FC de l'Ouémé.

In 2000, he had a short spell as an assistant coach of the Ghana national team. After leaving the Ghanaian side, Razak went to Mali, where he won the Malien Premiere Division and cup double with Stade Malien. The club did not lose any matches on its way to winning the title.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/1544464.stm |title=Ghana's inside knowledge |access-date=7 April 2007 |date=14 September 2001 |work=Football:Africa |publisher=BBC}}[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/cup_of_nations/1721470.stm Razak signs with BBC], BBC Sport. BBC. Thursday, 20 December 2001. Retrieved on 2 July 2021 In 2003, he was appointed the coach of Kumasi Asante Kotoko and helped the club win their first local league in ten years. He discharged of his post after the 2003–04 league season, eventually returning to Stade Malien for two additional seasons.

He also coached Real Tamale United in the Ghana Premier League from 2007 to 2009.

Achievements

In a 1999 poll held by the IFFHS to select the best footballers of the 20th Century, Razak ranked 31st among African players,{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/iffhs-century.html | author=Stokkermans, Karel | title=IFFHS' Century Elections |publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation | access-date=6 April 2007}} and in 2007, he was selected as one of the 30 best African footballers of the previous 50 years by CAF, through internet voting.{{cite web|url=http://www.cafonline.com/news.php?id=1073 |author=CAFonline.com |publisher=Confederation of African Football |title=CAF release 30 best African players in the last 50 years |access-date=6 April 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070403041026/http://www.cafonline.com/news.php?id=1073 |archive-date= 3 April 2007 |url-status=dead }} Razak's career titles and individual honours include:

=Player=

Source:{{Cite web|title=Karim Abdul Razak Tanko|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/43683/Karim_Abdul_Razak_Tanko.html|access-date=2021-07-02|website=national-football-teams.com}}{{Cite web|title=Remember me: 'Golden Boy' Abdul Razak's message to Kwesi Nyantakyi|url=https://www.modernghana.com/sports/625161/remember-me-golden-boy-abdul-razaks-message.html|access-date=2021-07-02|website=Modern Ghana}}

;Asante Kotoko

Ghana Premier League: 1981, 1986, 1987
Ghanaian FA Cup: 1978
Ghana SWAG Cup: 1988

;New York Cosmos

;Al Ain FC

Joint League Cup: 1983

;Arab Contractors SC

African Cup Winners' Cup: 1983

;Africa Sports

Ghana

African Cup of Nations: 1978{{Cite web|title=A day in history – March 18, 1978: Ghana wins African Nations Cup for keeps|url=https://www.graphic.com.gh/sports/football/a-day-in-history-march-18-1978-ghana-wins-african-nations-cup-for-keeps.html|access-date=2021-07-02|website=Graphic Online}}

Individual

UAE Pro-League top scorer: 1980–81{{Cite web|title=Today in history: Kotoko win LG Top-4|url=https://www.modernghana.com/sports/605779/today-in-history-kotoko-win-lg-top.html|access-date=2021-07-02|website=Modern Ghana}}
African Footballer of the Year: 1978{{Cite web|title=African Player of the Year 1978|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/afrpoy78.html|access-date=2021-07-02|publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation}}
Best AFCON Player: 1978
Egyptian Player of the Year: 1984, 1985

= Manager =

;Stade Malien

Malien Premiere Division: 2000–01, 2002, 2005, 2005–06
Malien Cup: 2001, 2006
Super Coupe National du Mali: 2001, 2005, 2006

;Asante Kotoko

Ghana Premier League: 2003{{Cite web|date=23 November 2003|title=Kotoko – 2003 League Champions|url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/SportsArchive/Kotoko-2003-League-Champions-47151|access-date=2 July 2021|website=GhanaWeb}}
SWAG Cup: 2003{{Cite web|date=27 April 2003|title=Kotoko are SWAG champs again|url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/SportsArchive/Kotoko-are-SWAG-champs-again-35727|access-date=2 July 2021|website=GhanaWeb}}
GHALCA Top 4: 2003

Individual

Malien Premiere Division Coach of the Year: 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006
SWAG Coach of the Year: 2003{{Cite web|date=29 December 2003|title=SWAG confers special award on Weah|url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/SportsArchive/SWAG-confers-special-award-on-Weah-48980|access-date=2 July 2021|website=GhanaWeb}}

References

External links

{{NFT player|pid=43683}}
[http://www.cybereagles.com/articles/default.asp?id=69 Biography at CyberEagles] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070216214255/http://www.cybereagles.com/articles/default.asp?id=69 |date=16 February 2007 }}
[http://www.nasljerseys.com/Players/R/Razak.Abdul.htm New York Cosmos stats]