The 106-page book titled: Polo The Magnificent: The story of the Dribbling Magician, which was authored by Nii Odai Anidaso Laryea and published by DAKpabli & Associates, will be launched at the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence ICT at Ridge in Accra on Thursday, July 14, between 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The colourful book, which has many memorable action scenes of Polo, covers the period when Polo burst onto the local football scene as a teenager when he joined Hearts of Oak till the time he retired in 1994.

Fearsome Five

It also gives insight into Hearts’ famous “Fearsome Five”, comprising Mama Acquah, Peter Lamptey, Robert Hammond, Anas Seidu and Polo himself, who transformed the club into one of the most formidable sides, mesmerising opposing teams in Ghana and Africa in the 1970s.

The book also captures the historic “Miracle of El-Wak in Accra in 1977, where Polo, then 22 years, became the main architect who helped Hearts to conjure one of their most magnificent magical displays to defeat Zambia giants, Mulfulira Wanderers, 3-0 in the semi-finals of the Africa Clubs Championship to book a place in the final.

All-time best team

Polo’s exploits with the Black Stars, especially in 1978, when he helped Ghana to win the Africa Cup of Nations for the third time in Ghana, was also captured in the book.

He also made room for his all-time best team for Ghana, which saw stars such as Abedi Pele, Anthony Yeboah, James Kuuku Dadzie, Kwasi Owusu and Opoku Afriyie, among others, being put in the reserve side.

More significantly, the book also hints of Polo’s commitment to seek public support to enable him embark on a nationwide tour to unearth young talented footballers and instill in them the local brand of football which he calls “agoro”.

He expressed the hope that by promoting the agoro brand of football, Ghana could soon regain her reputation as the best football nation in Africa and beyond.