"I'm on national service with Olympics -Afranie

Investigate Taylor’s kidnap to Kumasi

ABU title fights on Saturday

Kpadenu - I will stop Lumbisa in R-5

"I'm on national service with Olympics -Afranie

Accra (Greater Accra) 10 April - Emmanuel Kwesi Afranie, head coach of Accra Great Olympics said his tenure with the "Wonder Club" was a national service in line with his avowed objective to develop the game at whatever level that he finds himself.

"I have proved my worth by being at four world cups and my achievements speak for themselves. My going to Olympics is a national service and I am happy to accept the challenge to rejuvenate the club which was once among the greats on the African continent," the coach told the GNA Sports.

He said an in-form Olympics would make the premier league more interesting and competitive and he has undertaken to change the fortunes of the team through a sound technical direction.

The coach said he was happy with the materials at his disposal at the club because "they are young and have great potentials and such players are easier to work with than those who consider themselves as big names," adding that the supporters and management members must be a bit patient to see the recovery.

Coach Afranie said he believed he could change the fortunes of Oly and get their supporters back to the stands when they play "because when they start playing well, the supporters will return."

He said though he was not at the club to organise justifiers, many new players have rushed to the training ground on hearing about his appointment resulting in a rise in enthusiasm and competition.

He said contrary to rumours that he accepted the offer to prove a point to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) officials who selected Bukhard Ziesse ahead of him for the Black Stars job, the coach said he had nothing to prove because he had proved everything there was to prove by building his curriculum vitae to where it is at the moment.

Coach Afranie said he considered his tenure as the caretaker coach of the Black Stars a great success because he played one competitive match against Rwanda in which the Black Stars broke their goal drought jinx by scoring four in a match.

"I used five home based players against Rwanda and we scored four goals and conceded two and my detractors said it was a bad result but in the Tunisian tournament where we had the full complement of our professional players, we scored a total of five and conceded same in the two matches we played."

He said his emphasis was on a youthful home-based squad that would blossom with time as he intended exposing them during the All African Games in Nigeria before the 2004 Athens Olympic Games qualifiers.

Coach Afranie said his application to coach the Black Stars was not a do or die affair and that he was not peeved for losing the opportunity to be the substantive coach, adding that he applied reluctantly on the last day due to pressure from his admirers.

He said though he left comprehensive notes for the incoming coach it would have been in the right direction if the G F A had arranged a meeting between him and the new coach.

"As the technical director of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports I remain a major stakeholder in Ghana football and I shall endeavour to contribute my quota in every way to ensure that our football moves forward," he concluded.

GRi…/

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Investigate Taylor’s kidnap to Kumasi

London (United Kingdom) 10 April 2003 - A London based Ghanaian football enthusiast Alhaji Tanko has called on the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to investigate all circumstances leading to the sudden disappearance of the ‘terrible terror’ Charles Taylor to Kumasi to feature for Kumasi Asante Kotoko.

This is in view of allegations that Taylor was whisked to the Garden city through kidnapping and other rudimentary means. Tanko, who claims to be a Great Olympics die-hard, called for a justifiable measure to be applied against the perpetrator of the act if so proved.

Speaking to the GRi sports in a telephone interview, Tanko said having followed the Taylor impasse for sometime from his London base, he is convinced that the Ghanaian FA should stretch its arm further than the evidence before it to ensure its action on the matter upholds the professionalism being trumpeted these days in our football. He condemned a similar act of kidnapping of Kotoko’s young Kwadwo Poku purportedly, to enable him play for Kumasi King Faisal.

According to him, a stringent action on the part of the FA against such unacceptable behaviours would not only offer protection to future players against crude methods of poaching them, often times against their freewill, but will also bring sanity into the player transfer market. “The alleged kidnap of the player, if it is true, is an indictment on any effort on our part in running civilised football in the country. It is dangerous and should not be encouraged. I think Ben Koufie and his men should act appropriately to give football a new face in the country,” Tanko told GRi.

He cited that strong disciplinary measure of the EUFA governing body against conducts of personalities like Sir Alex Ferguson and El Hadj Diouf are part of the hallmarks which have contributed to the high standard observed in the European game. “There is no need for Africa, and for that matter Ghana, to slack,” he reasoned.

Currently, is a stand-off between the two most glamorous Ghanaian clubs, Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak, over the 2002 best player as both Hearts and Kotoko claim to have concluded justifiable deals with Taylor for him to don their jersey in the upcoming season. While Hearts argue that they have renewed Taylor’s stay with them with sealed 3-year contract, Kotoko are claiming a two-year contract with him arguing that the contract of Taylor to Hearts is bogus.

GRi…/

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ABU title fights on Saturday

Accra (Greater Accra) 10 April 2003 - The eighth edition of the Arthur Don International Boxing Promotion will be held at the Globe Cinema in Accra on Saturday 12 April.

The event dubbed 'Future WBC champions' will see ABU Super featherweight champion, Mike Kizza from Uganda meeting Kpakpo 'Lighting' Allotey the challenger from Ghana while the Super Lightweight bout would involve David Lusimbo, the champion from Uganda and Victor Kpodonu, the challenger from Benin.

Dr Don Arthur, Director of Arthur Don International Promotions who announced these in Accra on Wednesday said Blue Jeans Energy Drink, NTHC Stock Brokers, Ghana Social Marketing Foundation and TV3 are sponsoring the event.

He said boxing has won international recognition for the country over the years and that outstanding performances of legendary Azumah Nelson, Ike 'Bazooka Quartey and some other successful boxers lend credence to that fact.

Dr Arthur said boxing is an enormous sport, which opens the heart and the mind and also entertains and reveals the reality of life. He said his outfit would do everything possible to ensure that Ghanaian boxers win international laurels.

Kpakpo Allotey said the belt would not leave the shores of Ghana and promised to stop the champion, adding that Kizza should count himself blessed should the fight travel four rounds.

Kizza on his part dismissed the bluff of Allotey, saying that he would leave the country with the title intact. Also on the bill will be an international bantamweight fight between Alex Ali Baba and Ibrahim Adewale of Nigeria.

GRi…/

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Kpadenu - I will stop Lumbisa in R-5

Accra (Greater Accra) 10 April 2003 - Victor Kpadenu, African Boxing Council (ABC) Welterweight Champion has said that he would stop his opponent David Lusimbo of Uganda in round five to annex the African Boxing Union (ABU) Super flyweight title on Saturday night.

The two boxers would clash on Saturday under the Arthur Don Boxing Promotions dubbed "Future WBC Champions" at the Globe Cinema in Accra. Speaking to the GNA Sports, Kpadenu, a Beninnoise said even though he has not got much information about his opponent, he was confident of ending the fight in the fifth.

According to the Beninnoise,he had trained enough to stand any challenge from his opponent saying, "I would add him to the list my victims on the knockout list".

Germany based Kpadenu whose fight against Ghana's Aryittey Powers last year generated a lot of controversy as the judges ruled in favour of Powers said, he does not anticipate any cheating since he and his opponents are both foreigners.

He said “I am expecting a level playing ground with an objective decision from the judges and I hope victory would be mine". Kpodonu who goes into the fight with victories in all his 13 fights including 12 knockouts said after winning the ABU title he would be eyeing world tittles as he is now ripe for bigger challenges.

“I have been fighting boxers in the international arena in Germany and I believe this has given me the needed experience and exposure to take on the world," Kpadonu stated.

GRi…/

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