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.