GRi Sports 04 - 02 - 2003

Razak for Kotoko top job

Stephen Appiah petitions Prez Kufuor

Police officers trial slated for 10 February

Dwarfs keep to winning ways

New interview date for Black Stars coaches

 

 

Razak for Kotoko top job

 

Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 04 February 2003 - Kotoko look certain to dispense with the services of foreign coaches for the time being and fall on some of their retired stars to fill the gap.

 

In the aftermath of the dissolution of the Herbert Mensah management, three of Kotoko’s greatest players in recent times are almost certain to be called upon to handle the team. They are Golden Boy Abdul Razak, Frempong Manso and Kwasi Appiah.

 

They will be ably supported by goalkeeper Joe Carr, himself an old player and a member of the victorious 1983 Africa Cup Squad.

 

Because of the controversy that surrounded the hiring of foreign coaches by the former management, the Interim Management Committee that is to be named today (Tuesday) is not expected to entertain any association with a foreign coach. If anything, the IMC would leave the taking of such a decision to the incoming management.

 

Information filtering in from Kumasi indicates that some members of the old management stayed on after last Saturday’s meeting at Manhyia to win the support of the playing body in getting the dissolution of the management reviewed. 

 

However, according to sources close to the players, they (management members) failed to elicit the needed support because apart from a few of the players who appeared amenable to such influence, the majority of them didn’t want to be drawn into matters that are purely administrative.

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Stephen Appiah petitions Prez Kufuor

 

Brescia (Italy) 04 February 2003 - The skipper of the Black Stars, Stephen Appiah, has called for pragmatic measures to be adopted to ensure the way forward for the senior national team.

 

He has accordingly, petitioned President J.A. Kufuor as a matter of urgency to intervene and convene a crisis meeting among some stakeholders of the game to discuss ways of arresting dwindling fortunes of the various national teams, especially the Black Stars.

 

The petition requested the President to invite 25 foreign-based members of the Stars to an emergency meeting to share their views as to the way forward for the team. The players who were mentioned by the Stars skipper to be part of this exercise include Richard Kingston, Constant Mantey, Christian Gyan, Samuel Osei Kuffour, Sam Johnson, Baffour Gyan, Stephen Baidoo, Daniel Edusei, Mohammed Gargo, Nii Odartey Lamptey, Otto Addo, Mark Edusei and Peter Ofori-Quaye.

 

The rest are Kwame Ayew, Tony Yeboah, Augustine Ahinful, Awudu Issaka, Felix Aboagye, Emmanuel Duah, Charles Amoah, Julius Asamoah and Godwin Attram. The only local player in the list is goalkeeper Sammy Adjei.

 

Those personalities, he suggested to the President to comprise a special committee apart from the Ministry of Youth and Sports to seek for solutions to the problems bedevilling Ghana soccer are C.K. Gyamfi, Alex Asiedu, Mohammed Polo, Jones Attuquayefio, Oti Akenteng, Abedi Ayew Pele, Dr Engmann, Kwabena Yeboah, Moses Foh Amoaning, and a top journalist from the state media.

 

According to the Brescia midfielder, he was obliged to initiate steps towards ensuring the Stars’ renaissance especially as the new leader of the Stars. He disclosed that it had been his dream to hold aloft the national flag which is why he wants to give this opportunity the best shot.   

GRi…/

 

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Police officers trial slated for 10 February

 

Accra (Greater Accra) 04 February 2003 - The trial of the six police officers who were indicted by the Okudzeto Commission of Inquiry into the Accra Sports Stadium tragedy at the High court is expected to begin February 10.

             

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah, Judicial Secretary said the date fixed for the opening of assizes in the Greater Accra Region has been slated for 10 February.

 

He said before all assizes could begin, the Judicial Service needed to consult the Attorney-General (prosecution) to get ready so that trials of various cases could begin. Owusu-Ansah acknowledged that the Magistrate court erred by fixing 3 February for the officers to stand trial at the High Court.

 

"The magistrate court needs not to give out a definite date for trial to commence since all assizes in the Greater Accra Region would begin on 10 February," he said.

 

On 6 January this year, an Accra Magistrate court committed Chief Superintendent of Police Mr Koranteng Mintah, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mr. Frank Awuah, ASP Faakyi Kumi, ASP B.B. Bakomora, ASP John Naami and ASP Frank Aryee to stand trial at an Accra High Court on 3 February.

 

Their committal followed their second appearance before an Accra Magistrate court after bills of indictment had been served on them to reappear before the court. Each has been charged with 126 counts of manslaughter. Their pleas were not taken. The magistrate, Mrs Elizabeth Adusei granted each of them ˘20m bail with two sureties.

 

The Police Administration had interdicted the six officers following their alleged involvement in disturbances that resulted in the death of 126 soccer fans after a league match between Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko.

 

However, the Administration withdrew the interdiction on the grounds that it was no longer necessary since investigations had been completed. The fans died in a stampede when police fired tear gas into the stands to control people from throwing plastic chairs and other objects onto the field of play.

 

President John Agyekum Kufuor set up the Commission to investigate the incident, which is the worst in Ghana's sports history.

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Dwarfs keep to winning ways

 

Agona Swedru (Central Region) 04 February 2003 - Cape Coast Ebusua Dwarfs beat Feynord Salgado 1-0 in their national division one Zone 2B league match played at the Swedru sports stadium on Sunday.

 

Dwarfs lying comfortable on top of the league table with 19 points have thus qualified to play in the sub middle league. Dwarfs took absolute control of the game and scored what turned out as the match winner through outside right, Mathew Atiogbe in the 25th minute.

     

Atiogbe after receiving a pass from the midfield outran the defenders of Salgado to score. Salgado resumed the second half with greater determination and made several efforts to equalise but the defence of Dwarfs foiled their efforts.

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New interview date for Black Stars coaches

 

Accra (Greater Accra) 04 February 2003 - The Ghana Football Association (GFA) said it has rescheduled the interview date for the four coaches for the Black Stars' top job.

 

The coaches - Emmanuel Kwesi Afranie, Abdul Razak (Ghana), Portuguese Manuel Gomes and Burkard Ziese of Germany - were short-listed and were to appear before a panel on Monday (today) for a gruelling interview.

 

Kofi Nsiah, GFA General Secretary told the GNA in a telephone conversation that the association needed enough time to put some few things together. He said the GFA also took into consideration the schedules of the four coaches and the "association's own programme in entirety before arriving at the new date".

GRi…/

 

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