Black Stars begin training with Zivadinovic on Tuesday
Appeals Committee dismisses appeals from Goldfields and Arsenals
FIFA takes final decision on Prampram Goal Project in July
Accra (Greater Accra) 21 June 2002 - The Black Stars, Ghana's senior national soccer team will begin training at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday, June 25 under their new Yugoslav coach, Milan Zivadinovic.
Mr Ben Koufie chairman of the Ghana Football Association said the coach would arrive on Monday and commence duty with a training schedule with the Stars, made up of foreign based players who are holidaying in the country and selected local players.
Addressing overseas-based players on Wednesday, the chairman said age would not be a criterion for selection but current form and commitment would be the yard stick to choose players who would redeem the sinking image of the Ghanaian game.
He said coach Zivadinovic had indicated his intention to work with all good players the nation has and any player who features for his club in Europe would be given a look in because it is believed he should be playing well to merit selection there.
Mr Koufie said good team building should involve blending youth and experience and assured the players that it is only the best who would be selected to prosecute the redemption crusade and ensure that Ghana plays in the next World Cup. He advised players not to think they are not wanted when they are not invited for a particular match but to take their exclusion as a challenge to work harder to catch the eyes of the selectors. "You must turn up in your numbers to work with the new coach and prove to him that you are good."
The chairman said the coach would organise periodic camping for the Europe based players in Europe and arrange friendly matches for them in such a way as not to disturb their engagements with their clubs. Mr Koufie entreated the players, administrators, the media and all stakeholders "to change and adopt positive attitude towards the development of the game" so that Ghana's stagnation would be removed for a better beginning that would meet the dreams of the nation.
"If we don't do things right we shall cease to be marking time and be completely grounded because we all know that Ghana soccer is sick and needs diagnosis and treatment of whatever disease that has afflicted it." In his contribution, Mr Wilberforce Mfum, a former captain of the Black Stars said the players must raise the level of their commitment if Ghana football should go forward.
When the players were given the opportunity to air their grievances, Ohene Kennedy, an old member of the Stars who was ignored by Osam Duodu for the Nations Cup in Mali said frequent changing of the team would not do Ghana any good. He advised the administrators to maintain the team for a long time and encourage them to improve instead of disbanding it after an unsuccessful campaign.
Kennedy said fans should also take a cue from Korean and Japanese fans and learn to encourage players who are having a difficult match instead of insulting them because they would be discouraged and lose concentration and their productivity would be low.
Emmanuel Duah, a long standing member of the squad who was in Mali for the CAN 2002 said the kiting arrangement for the tournament was appalling and advised the GFA to ensure that the team is adequately kited for future tournaments and matches.
Yaw Preko said certain remarks made about them by some people connected to soccer which they read on the Internet was most unfortunate and advised against a repetition as derogatory comments by their own people kill their zeal and make them lose form. He assured the GFA that they have resolved to forget about the past and forge closer links to redefine the status of Ghana's football.
The players later had lunch with the management board of the GFA. Those present included John Mensah, Derek Boateng, Ishmael Addo, Ohene Kennedy, Christian Attah Gyan and Charles Sampson. Others were Emmanuel Duah, Razak Ibrahim and Richard Kingston.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 21 June 2002 - The Appeals Committee of the Ghana Football Association on Thursday dismissed appeals by Goldfields and Berekum Arsenals against two match home bans slapped on them by the Disciplinary Committee over crowd disturbances after their respective league matches against Okwawu United and Kotoko.
A statement signed by Mr Emmanuel Gyimah, Secretary of the Appeals Committee said after listening to the plea of the two clubs and reviewing the records of the match and proceedings of the Disciplinary Committee, it was of the view that the bans were appropriate and hereby affirmed.
The Committee then reminded the clubs that events of 9 May Accra Sports Stadium tragedy were still fresh in the minds of Ghanaians and it behoved on all to resolve and stamp out crowd violence and unruly behaviours by their supporters.
In the case of Arsenals, the Committee however registered their unhappiness about the fact that they were not notified about prior security arrangements made for their match against Kotoko. It said the tense security situation could have contributed to the state of affairs during the match and strongly recommended the GFA should take immediate steps to avoid such situations in the future.
Another statement signed by Mr Kwaku Ampem Darko, Deputy General Secretary of the GFA said in accordance with the decisions, the Appeals Committee, the Professional League Board has decided to reschedule Sunday's 15th week league match between Goldfields and Real Tamale United originally fixed for Obuasi, Len Clay Stadium to the Cape Coast Sports Stadium.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 21 June 2002 - The Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) will meet in the first week of July to take a final decision on the Prampram Goal Project, which it has approved for Ghana.
In this regard the Ghana Football Association (GFA) is expected to furnish the world football governing body with information on the project, including project detail description, detailed estimate, plans, consultant contract proposition, title deed, site plan and the project total cost.
Mr Ben Koufie, chairman of the GFA told the GNA Sports on Thursday his association is leaving no stone unturned in their determination to see the project, which has been dubbed 'Centre for Sports Excellence' come to fruition. He said all stakeholders in the project held a meeting at the Ministry of Youth and Sports on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Mr Edward Osei Kwaku, the sector minister, to ensure that all FIFA demands are met in time to facilitate a quick take off.
The chairman said so far, the Ministry of Youth and Sports has spent a total of 8,600,000 cedis in land acquisition process and the final procedure would be sorted out with the owners within the next few days. He said the amount expended covered preliminary survey, site survey and production of site plan and traditional commitments classified as 'knocking fees,' site inspection, preliminary documentation and the presentation of four bottles of schnapps to the traditional authorities.
Mr Ben Koufie said the project would include hostels, playing fields, recreational facilities and modern amenities, which would make it convenient for national teams to be camped there. The centre would also host a soccer academy from where talents would be groomed for the national teams.
Also in attendance at Tuesday's meeting were Mr Joe Aggrey, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Kofi Nsiah, General Secretary of the GFA and Mr Emmanuel Afranie, Technical director of the ministry.
FIFA accepted to include Ghana in the Goal Project when the GFA chairman forwarded an application to them in February this year. The Goal Project is an assistance programme, which the world football governing body has initiated to help poor countries develop their game and it was one of the strong points of the Blatter campaign in the run up to the just concluded FIFA presidential elections which he won with a landslide over Issa Hayatou.
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