Fifty academicals selected for camping
Accra (Greater Accra) 27 March 2002 - Ghana’s search for the man to lead the Black Stars to their first World Cup could end in May when the country’s sports authorities hope to engage the services of an expatriate coach.
Since caretaker coach Fred Osam-Duodu’s mandate expired with Ghana’s elimination in the African Nations Cup, the searchlight has been focused on signing a competent foreign coach to take charge of the Stars’ rebuilding.
At the weekend, the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Joe Aggrey, confirmed government’s determination to provide the necessary funding to hire an expatriate coach. He says the issue is under “serious consideration” and the FA has been tasked to look for a top class coach at the earliest possible time, with May as the most likely time to finalise any such deal.
GFA Chairman Mr Ben Koufie has repeatedly stressed that his administration would not settle for a mediocre coach. But in their search for that top class coach the FA would operate within a given budgetary limit set by the paymaster, the Ministry, in consonance with the government’s tight fiscal policy.
Former national coach Bukhard Ziese is one man who has indicated his desire to renew his romance with Ghana football. In fact, late last year the German paid a week-long visit to the country and met some influential figures to lobby for the then vacant position.
Before the 2002 Nations Cup, Frenchman Claude Le Roy was linked to the Stars job after the FA explored ways of benefiting from a said technical agreement with the French Embassy.
According to Hon Aggrey the technical agreement does not cover the secondment of a French coach to Ghana. The only assistance the French Embassy could offer the country is to provide the GFA access to French coaches for negotiations and possible engagement.
The FA also explored the possibility of funding through its sponsorship contract with Adidas. That chapter was closed when a representative of the sports wear manufacturing giant made it clear that payment of coaches as part of its deals is in consonance with the company’s procedure. With the GFA heavily dependant on the ministry for payment of national coaches, Ghana’s bargaining power now lies within the limitation set by the government.
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater Accra) 27 March 2002 - Fifty players selected from last years VALCO Schools Football Tournament and the Milo School Competition have been asked to report to the Winneba Sports College on Tuesday, April 3, for a justifier-your-inclusion exercise to prepare for impending international matches against their counterparts from Nigeria and Togo.
Dr Charles Mensah, Resident Director of VALCO, organisers of the two matches said the final team would play their Nigerian academicals on April 20 at the Accra Sports Stadium. He said they would then play Togo the following day and travel to engage Nigeria in a return leg on April 27 in Lagos.
Dr Mensah said the company would spend ¢40 million to camp the team. Mr James Arthur-Norman of Aggrey Memorial Secondary School has also been invited to report to Winneba with the players to serve as the Welfare Officer.
The players are Issah Mohammed, Sampson Kurankye, Emmanuel Manu, Henry Riss Okaikwei, Richard Pobee, Ransford Amartey (Aggrey Memorial Secondary School) Oliver Darko, Mubarak Mohammed (Abuakwa State College) Francis Gyepi, Abu Mohammed, Aminu Mohammed (Mfantsipim School) Ernest Mensah (St Augustine's) Emmanuel Yeboah, Gyan Nana Asamoah (Accra Academy) Ben Mensah (Ebenezer Secondary). Frederick Asante, Narh Odamtey, Samuel Effah (New Juaben Comm. College) Gabriel Kudolo (Mawuli) Amuzu John (Bompeh) Abeka Buxton, Issac Amadu, Abu Adams (O'Reilly).
The rest are Obed Ansah (Pope John). Yaw Sarpong, (Opoku Ware) Nurudeen Dramani, Wemah Haruna, Garafu Yakubu (Vitting) Musah Mohammed, Cudjoe Sampson, Shaibu Seidu, Amunike Muftahu, Frank Appiah, Aziz Alhassan (Bolgatanga Sec.) Amposah Eric, Emmanuel Adu Gyamfi, Yahaya Mallam, Charles Sekyere (Asanteman) Osei Gyimah Francis, John Acheapong, Wasiu Abdul (Osei Kyeretwei) Mohammed Hamdan, Wemah Nurudeen, Muniru Aziz, Abdul Waldan-Shabadan (Tamale Sec.) Mohammed Fatawu (Navasco) Faridu Siedu (Nandom Sec.) Aseidu Raymond (Sunyani Sec.) Abukari Ahmed (Wa Sec.)
GRi…/
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