Avram Grant demands €250,000 as signing-on fee

By Daniel Oduro

Finder Sports’ investigations have revealed that the only thing delaying the appointment of Avram Grant as the new coach of Ghana’s Black Stars has to do with his ‘perceived’ astronomical signing-on fee.

The former Chelsea coach who has been tipped as Black Stars coach in-waiting by the Ghana Football Association is said to be demanding a whooping sum of €250,000 Euros as his signing-on fee before accepting the Ghana job.

The Ghana Football Association President, Kwesi Nyantakyi last Friday told pressmen that the Israeli was the standout performer during last month’s interview session for three shortlisted coaches who had applied for the Black Stars job.

Kwesi Nyantakyi also said that even though the GFA would be delighted to work with Avram Grant, the Israeli’s financial expectations must be met before the deal is made official.

The GFA is therefore hoping that the Israeli would accept something in the region of €150,000 Euros or $200,000 US dollars in order to quicken his appointment.

It would be recalled that recently sacked Black Stars coach, Kwesi Appiah was paid 166,000 US dollars as signing-on fee before the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil when he penned a new lucrative two year deal-which was terminated after the World Cup. 

The GFA is excited to work with Avram Grant because of his experience in the coaching business and some of the proposals he presented during his interview seem to align with the GFA’s own development plan.

First and most importantly, Avram Grant is willing and ready to work with assistant coach Maxwell Konadu or any other local coach for that matter when/if appointed coach of Ghana.

Secondly, Avram Grant has proposed to set up an academy to groom young talents when appointed coach of the Black Stars.

He also assured the GFA that he is willing to help build the capacity of the local coaches in Ghana since he is a FIFA instructor himself.

 Another advantage for Grant according to our sources is the fact that that he is ready to receive something in the region of fifty thousand dollars as wages to work for the Black Stars.

For the uninitiated, Avram Grant is a Former Chelsea manager who was recently appointed technical director at Thai Premier League club BEC Tero Sasana. The 59-year-old Israeli took over the role once held by former England manger Sven-Goran Eriksson, who lasted only a matter of weeks in 2012 before leaving for the United Arab Emirates and then China. Avram Grant has also managed English sides West Ham United and Portsmouth, Serbians Partizan Belgrade and the Israeli national team.

Avram Grant is expected to beat off competition from two other candidates, Michel Pont and Juna Ignacio Jimenez who were also interviewed by the GFA. Two other candidates withdrew from the race despite being shortlisted for the job.

Former Dutch striker Patrick Kluivert and Italian Marcos Tardelli pulled out of race saying they were disinterested in the job.

The Ghana Football Association is expected to meet with the headline sponsor of the Black Stars, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), later this week before finalizing the deal with Avram Grant.

BLACK STARS JOB: Kluivert considered too inexperienced

Finder Sports’ sources at the Ghana Football Association say former Dutch international Patrick Kluivert is still in the race for the vacant Black Stars job but his chances are very slim due to his relative inexperience.

Our sources say, despite Kluivert’s stellar career as a footballer, it is no guarantee he would succeed as the head coach of the Black Stars.

For the uninitiated, Patrick Kluivert is a former Barcelona striker and a Dutch icon. Kluivert, 38, was assistant to Louis van Gaal at the 2014 World Cup as the Netherlands finished third in Brazil. He has yet to manage a club in his own right but did spend a year with FC Twente's reserves and had spells at AZ Alkmaar and as NEC Nijmegen assistant. The 38-year-old helped bring through European and former world champions Pedro and Sergio Busquets while at the Nou Camp. He also spent a short time as assistant manager to the late Tito Vilanova two years ago.  Kluivert helped Ajax to their famous 1995 Champions League triumph, scoring the winning goal against AC Milan in Vienna, and had a lengthy spell at Barca after a year at Milan. He earned 79 caps for the Netherlands national team over a decade.

Kluivert is one of five applicants who have been shortlisted by the three-man committee set up by the Ghana Football Association to look for a new coach for the senior national football team, the Black Stars.

The Black Stars job has become vacant following the termination of Kwesi Appiah’s contract last month.

With the 2015 Nations Cup in Morocco fast approaching and the Black Stars deeply involved in the qualifiers for that same tournament, the GFA is eager to appoint a new coach as soon as possible.

Over thirty coaches applied for the vacant job; but last week Finder Sports revealed that the three-man search committee had pruned the number to only five with face to face interviews scheduled for October 18, 2014.

Aside Kluivert, former Chelsea coach Avram Grant, former Egypt head coach Marco Tardelli, former Switzerland assistant coach Michel Pont and former Valladolid coach Juan Ignacio Martinez are the other candidates for the Ghana job.

Insiders at the GFA tell Finder Sports that Avram Grant and Marco Tardelli are now the leading contenders for the Black Stars job.

By Daniel Oduro

Trapattoni pulls out of Ghana coaching race

Finder Sports can exclusively reveal that veteran coach, Giovanni Trapattoni has pulled out of the race to become the new head coach of the Ghana Black Stars.

Our sources say the former Republic of Ireland manager officially wrote to the Ghana Football Association over the weekend to withdraw his candidature, citing ill-health and his advancing age as the rationale for his decision to withdraw.

Finder Sports’ checks at the GFA indicates that the 75-year-old was one of the six-shortlisted applicants for the vacant Black Stars job, but his withdrawal means only five candidates will be interviewed for the job.

The Black Stars are without a substantive coach following the dismissal of Kwesi Appiah who took charge of Ghana’s well documented and infamous 2014 FIFA World Cup campaign in Brazil earlier this year.

A three-man committee headed by GFA Vice President, Fred Crentsil has since been set up to help appoint a new coach for the senior national football team.

Over thirty coaches applied for the job but the committee has pruned the figure to five with Trapattoni deemed as one of the hot favourites until his withdrawal. A new Black Stars coach is expected to be announced by October 15, 2014 after Ghana’s double Nations Cup qualifiers against Guinea in October.

Trapatonni has been out of a job since parting company with Ireland in September 2013 after five years in charge. He has been at the helm of AC Milan, Juventus, Inter Milan, Cagliari and Fiorentina in Serie A during his 40-year coaching career.

The former Italy boss is one of only five coaches to have won the league title in at least four different countries - Italy, Germany, Portugal, and Austria.

Milovan Rajevac fails to make Black Stars coaching shortlist

Finder Sports can authoritatively reveal that Serbian tactician Milovan Rajevac is set to miss out on the Black Stars’ coaching job after failing to make the Ghana Football Association’s (GFA) five-man shortlist.

The three-man Committee tasked with the responsibility of appointing a new coach for the Black Stars has instead settled on former Chelsea coach Avram Grant, former Dutch national team assistant coach Patrick Kluivert, former Egypt head coach Marco Tardelli, former Switzerland assistant coach Michel Pont and former Valladolid coach Juan Ignacio Martinez as possible candidates for the Ghana job.

Veteran coach, Giovanni Trapattoni was shortlisted for the job but wrote to the Ghana Football Association to withdraw his application, citing ill-health and his advancing age as his reasons.

The GFA is set to enter negotiations with the five-shortlisted applicants in the coming days after which a decision on who to appoint will be made.

Our sources at the Ghana Football Association did not give any official reason for Milovan’s omission from the shortlisted applicants but hinted that excessive financial demands which included a €70,000 monthly salary, a $600,000 signing-on fee, his own backroom staff to be paid by the GFA, plus other demands seemed too costly for the GFA.

Milovan’s failure to make the five-man shortlist will come as a surprise to many Ghanaians who may have thought that the appointment of the Serb was only a matter of time and a formality.

The Serbian was seen as the obvious choice when the GFA announced its intentions of hiring a Technical Advisor to assist then coach, Kwesi Appiah. He was first to arrive in Ghana for negotiations but it is believed that in addition to his high demands, he also scored low marks and thus was snubbed by the GFA.

Rajevec is not new to Ghana and is best remembered for masterminding Ghana’s brilliant campaign at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa where but for a missed penalty, Ghana would have become the first African Country to reach the semi-final of the World Cup. Milovan also guided the Black Stars to the grand finale of the 2010 Nations Cup in Angola.

He however angered a lot of Ghanaians when he unceremoniously deserted Ghana for the riches of the Gulf after the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

The Ghana Football Association is bent on naming a new coach for the senior national team by October 15, 2014.

Below is a brief background about the five shortlisted applicants for the Black Stars job

Avram Grant: Is a Former Chelsea manager who was recently appointed technical director at Thai Premier League club BEC Tero Sasana. The 59-year-old Israeli took over the role once held by former England manger Sven-Goran Eriksson, who lasted only a matter of weeks in 2012 before leaving for the United Arab Emirates and then China. Avram Grant has also managed English sides West Ham United and Portsmouth, Serbians Partizan Belgrade and the Israeli national team.

Patrick Kluivert: Patrick Kluivert is a former Barcelona striker and a Dutch icon. Kluivert, 38, was assistant to Louis van Gaal at the 2014 World Cup as the Netherlands finished third in Brazil. He has yet to manage a club in his own right but did spend a year with FC Twente's reserves and had spells at AZ Alkmaar and as NEC Nijmegen assistant. The 38-year-old helped bring through European and former world champions Pedro and Sergio Busquets while at the Nou Camp. He also spent a short time as assistant manager to the late Tito Vilanova two years ago.  Kluivert helped Ajax to their famous 1995 Champions League triumph, scoring the winning goal against AC Milan in Vienna, and had a lengthy spell at Barca after a year at Milan. He earned 79 caps for the Netherlands national team over a decade.

Marco Tardelli: Tardelli is a former Italian star who started his managing career as head coach of the Under 16 Italian national team in 1988, immediately after his retirement. Two years later, he became the assistant coach of Cesare Maldini for the Under 21 team. In 1993 he switched to Como of Serie C1. He led Como to promotion into Serie B, but was unable to avoid relegation. In 1995 he took over Cesena, another Serie B team. Tardelli would spend three seasons with Cesena before leaving to become head coach of the Italian Under 21 team. He won the Under 21 European Championship, the following year. His success with the Italian Under 21 side led Tardelli to became the manager of Inter Milan for the 2000–01 season. His tenure with the Nerazzurri would be short; following a string of embarrassing defeats especially a 6–0 defeat to local rivals AC Milan, Tardelli was fired in June 2001. Tardelli did not have much luck in the coaching jobs that followed, which included spells with Bari, and the Egyptian national team. In February 2008, he joined the coaching staff of the Republic of Ireland national team as an assistant manager to the recently appointed Giovanni Trapattoni. He was reunited with former Juventus teammate Liam Brady, who was also named as Trapattoni's assistant.

Tardelli parted ways with the Republic of Ireland national team on 11 September 2013 by mutual consent, after a defeat by Austria the previous day.

Michel Pont: Swiss born Pont enjoyed a successful coaching career with Servette in his homeland, winning a league title. He is vastly experienced in international football having served as assistant manager of the Swiss national team since 2001.He left his position after the world cup in Brazil following the retirement of Ottmar Hitzfeld.

Juan Ignacio Martinez: Martínez began managing in 1997, his first stop being precisely Alicante. In the following years, he coached several teams in the lower leagues – also working in youth and women's football.  In the 2005–06 season, Martínez led FC Cartagena to the first position in division three. He first reached the professionals in the 2007–08 campaign, coaching UD Salamanca to a final seventh place in the second level.

Affectionately known as "JIM" (his full name's initials), he was appointed at La Liga side Levante  on 9 June 2011, replacing Getafe CF-bound Luis García. After two draws in the first two rounds, Martínez coached the team to seven consecutive wins; including a 1–0 home triumph against Real Madrid which meant it led the league during several rounds.

Until recently, he was coached of Real Valladolid but could not save them from going to relegation in the Spanish top flight. Valladolid parted ways with him after he sent them into relegation.

Exclusive: Kwesi Appiah’s provisional 30-man squad for the World Cup

By Daniel Oduro

Finder Sports can authoritatively confirm that Black Stars Coach James Kwesi Appiah has finalized his provisional 30 man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil later this year. It is from this provisional squad that Appiah will select his final 23 man squad for the tournament.

There are no major surprises in the squad except for the inclusion of former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong who now plays for Championship side Barnsley. The inclusion of defender Jeff Schlupp may come as a surprise to many but his recent performances for club side Leicester City has earned him a place in the provisional list. Schlupp who is a natural striker has been converted into a defensive player and seems comfortable at right-back for Leicester. Appiah is poised to try him as right-back for the Black Stars.

There were however no places for veteran goalkeeper Richard ‘Olele’ Kingson and defender John Mensah in the squad. Recent media reports suggested that the duo could force their way into the provisional list before Appiah takes a final decision on whether or not to take them to the tournament in Brazil. There were also no places for Afreyie Acquah and Richmond Boakye- Yiadom both of whom have been impressive for Italian side Parma and Spanish side Elche respectively.  Anthony Anna makes a return to the team same as Isaac Vorsah. Only one local player in the person of goalkeeper Stephen Adams managed to make the cut for the provisional squad list.

Ghana will begin preparations for the 2014 FIFA World Cup on May 25. They will play a series of friendly games before departing for Brazil where they have to find a way out of a difficult Group G comprising Germany, USA and Portugal.

 Full Squad below

Goalkeepers: Stephen Adams, Adam Kwarasey, Daniel Agyei, Fatua Duada

Defenders

Samuel Inkoom, Daniel Opare, Jonathan Mensah, Baba Rahman, Harrison Afful , John Boye, Isaac Vorsah, Jerry Akaminko, Jeff Schlupp

Midfielders

 Sulley Muntari, Mubarak Wakaso, Rabui Mohammed, Michael Essien, Agyemang Badu, Anthony Annan, Chipsah, Andre Ayew , Kojo Asamoah, Christian Astu, Emmanuel Frimpong, Albert Adoma,

Strikers: Jordan Ayew, Majeed Warris, Asamoah Gyan, Kevin- Prince Boateng,

‘Name Tamale Stadium after Aliu Mahama’

Dethroned chairman of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey has called on government to honour the memory of the former Vice-President in the Kufuor administration, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, by naming the Tamale Sports Stadium after him.

He explained that the late former Vice-President served his nation diligently and deserved to be honoured; therefore naming the stadium after him was in the right direction.

The former NPP Chairman made this call when he addressed delegates at the Tamale Sports Stadium, venue for the party’s conference to elect their national executives.

He suggested that the stadium should be referred to as the Alhaji Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium.

Giving background info on the late Vice-President, Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey said it was the NPP which selected Aliu Mahama as running mate to John Agyekum Kufuor in the 2000 elections, which produced the first and only Muslim to rise to the position of Vice-President in the country’s history.

He said Alhaji Aliu Mahama partnered President Kufuor throughout their eight years in office and served with dedication, humility and forthrightness.

“The late Aliu Mahama will remain an inspiration and a leading light for the NPP,” he said.

Ashgold facing 2-year ba

By Daniel Oduro

Premier League side AshantiGold is facing a potential 2-year ban from the Ghana Football Association following their refusal to honour an MTN FA Cup quarterfinal clash with Asante Kotoko at the Accra Sports stadium on Sunday, April 13, 2014.

The game, which was originally scheduled for the Baba Yara Stadium, had to be moved to Accra due to the temporal closure of the venue to Kotoko. But the Miners refused to honour the game, citing budgetary constraints as the reason for their action.

The Executive Committee of the Ghana Football Association last Thursday announced the temporal closure of the stadium in Kumasi following incidents of supporters throwing missiles onto the field of play after the final whistle of Kotoko's First Capital Plus Premier League match with Heart of Lions on March 26, 2014.

Finder Sports’ investigations have however revealed that Ashgold refused to play the game because they see the change of venue from Kumasi to Accra as a punishment on them rather than Kotoko. Ashgold, who reside in Obuasi, believe that if Kotoko’s violent conduct has led to the closure of the Kumasi stadium, then the rational thing to do was to move the game to Obuasi or a venue closer, and not to Accra. For Ashgold, moving the game to Accra seems like a punishment to them rather than Kotoko.

The top brass of the MTN FA Cup committee and the Ghana Football Association, as well as cable television station SuperSport is deeply upset. The FA Cup committee say the excuse given by the Obuasi-based club cannot hold because the FA Cup Committee agreed to provide extra funds to cover Ashgold’s cost for the game originally fixed to be played at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi.

Ashgold were promised a staggering GH₵6000 (the biggest ever received by any club in the competition) and 25% of the total gate proceeds, simply to massage their egos to honour the match which was moved to Accra as the result of the ban.

The Miners, however, refused to make the trip south to honour the match despite the pledges and interventions made by high-ranking officials of the Ghana FA.

A member of the FA Cup committee who spoke to Finder Sports on condition of anonymity said Ashgold would definitely be banned from the competition for their failure to turn up for the quarterfinal with Kotoko.