Gyau poised to stop the bleeding in Howard’s men’s soccer
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By HOWARD MANN
If Philip Gyau’s bloodlines are any indication, Howard’s men’s soccer team will receive a a program-saving transfusion.
His father was a member of Ghana’s 1964 Olympic team and played in NASL. Gyau has a son and daughter (Joseph and Mia) who are members of U.S. national program. Gyau himself starred at Howard in the ‘80s and went to earn six caps for the U.S. team and play for several pro teams before coaching with the U.S. beach team and a Bethesda youth program.
Soccer is the Gyau family business.
Who better to revive a once-proud soccer program that has almost flat-lined? The Bison finished 1-17 last season, the sixth and final losing campaign under Michael Lawrence, who was relieved of his duties in December.
Gyau arrived at Howard a decade after the Bison shocked college soccer by winning the national championship in 1971 and 1974. The NCAA stripped Howard of its 1971 title in a controversial ruling that many claim was fueled by racism, but it couldn’t tarnish the feat three years later.
“Winning the championship in 1974 brought some catharsis and sense of justice,” then-coach Lincoln Phillips told The New York Times last year. “We felt that our approach in developing scholar-athletes always followed the spirit of the N.C.A.A. even when we were the targets of some unfair and sometimes hostile situations. Our graduation rate was among the highest in the nation, and the players we recruited were very good and serious students.”
Shortly after Gyau graduated, Howard returned to prominence again, reaching the 1988 championship and advancing to the quarterfinals in 1989. But in the 24 seasons since then, the Bison have appeared in just one NCAA tournament (1997).
Howard seeks a return to glory under Gyau and there’s good reason to believe it can happen. Considering its potential to draw international players with unrivaled love and passion, Howard should be a perennial contender in soccer. And Gyau’s ability to develop young players should be a draw for homegrown talent, too.
The 2014 season will represent a rebirth on two levels: The men’s team is joining the Sun Belt Conference, which is sponsoring men’s soccer for the first time since 1995.
“We’re extremely proud to be a member of the Sun Belt Conference in the sport of men’s soccer,” Howard athletic director Louis “Skip” Perkins said. “This gives our soccer program the opportunity to compete in a conference tournament and ultimately a chance to play in the NCAA tournament.”
Having a conference home is nice, but picking the right coach is crucial.
For a program in critical condition, Gyau appears to be a great resuscitator.
