Black Stars in another draw
Segou (Mali) 25
January 2002 - The Black Stars played to another barren draw in their second
match of the 23rd Cup of Nations tournament against the Bafana Bafana of South
Africa at Sagoe, Mali, on Thursday.
The result leaves
the two teams on two points from two matches, just a point ahead of Burkina
Faso and Morocco who play their second matches on Friday.
As in the first
match against the Atlas lions of Morocco, the Black Stars failed to create
chances even though they were able to contain the South Africans in mid-field.
Ironically it was
the superlative form of Sammy Adjei again which kept the Stars in the game as
the lanky Hearts of Oak goalie saved a first half penalty and denied the South
Africans on three other occasions when they came very close.
At the other end,
Michael Essien took a half chance in the 36th minute and powered a left footer,
which hit the upright and bounced back into play while Johannes Vonk in goal
for South Africa stood aloof in bewilderment.
The Black Stars
strung accurate passes around after Essiens' effort and made the South Africans
chase their shadows but the penetrating passes could not be delivered as the
Bafana defence kept vigil and refused to come out.
Sammy Adjei came to
the rescue again early in the second half when he sprawled to spike out a
bullet from Sibusiso Zuma. Then at the other side Vonk struggled to save a
tricky curling shot from Baffour Gyan.
Adjei grabbed
another powerful effort from Delron Buckley and coach Osam Duodu reacted
swiftly by pulling out Princeton Owusu Ansah for Amankwa Mireku and George Blay
for John Paintsil.
Prince Amoako had
earlier taken over from skipper Emmanuel Duah and the Russia based player
became very well noticed when he blew a good chance over the top in the 87th
minute.
John Paintsil
produced a moment of magic when he waltzed through the South African defence on
the ninetieth minute mark and centred but over elaboration and indecision on
the part of the striker saved the Bafana from conceding a goal.
Razak Ibrahim was
the icon in the Black Stars and Chief Festus Onigbinde, the Nigerian CAF
technical instructor and former coach of the Super Eagles described him as ¨a
rising star who could set the African continent ablaze in the future.
Chief Onigbinde was
full of praise for Michael Essien, Derek Boateng and John Mensah, describing
them as very skilful players.
Mr Ben Koufie said
the game went according to the plan of the coach because he succeeded in
cutting out the South African attack. He said what remained was for the boys to
convert one or two of the chances they created and the story would have been
different, adding that “in modern football only few chances are created in
matches but the ability to convert them makes a winsome team.” He assured
Ghanaians back home that the team would qualify and move to the next round.
Ishmael Addo who had
his first feel of a Nations Cup tournament said he was elated at the
experience. He said he was sure the second match would be better for him and
asked his fans to pray for him to enable him to score the goals that would move
Ghana to the next round.
GRi…/
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Kuffour still in the
race
The
Confederation of African Football (CAF) says the expulsion of Ghanaian star
Samuel Osei Kuffour from the 2002 Nations Cup in Mali has not diminished his
chances of winning the coveted title of the African Football of the Year.
CAF
inside sources disclosed to Graphic Sports in Sagou on Thursday that the winner
had already been selected and last Tuesday’s expulsion, which he described as
“purely Ghanaian internal matter,” would have no effect on it.
The
source described as mere speculation, French media reports that the winner is
Senegalese international, El-Hadj Ousseynou Diouf and reiterated that the front
runners are Kuffour and Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o Fils.
He
indicated however, that the winner would not be known to the public till April
when CAF honours him at a banquet in South Africa.
Asked
what his reaction would be if the winner turns out to be Diouf, the official
only said he would be most surprised and explained that Diouf, the professional
who plays with Lens of France, is yet to attain the stature of Africa’s topmost
player.
He
explained that the 21-year-old Senegalese hit the international limelight
barely three months ago and though a great potential, his role in his country’s
historic qualification for the 2002 World Cup finals cannot be the only
measure.
Narrowing
the struggle down to Kuffour and Eto’o the source said from the 1991 Under-17
World Cup finals in Italy, where he was discovered, the Ghanaian has built a
consistent career and remained a World Class player through the Under-20 and
the Under-23 competitions, crowning it with an Olympic bronze.
He
said as a professional player, the Ghanaian has consistently been a great
influence, particularly on Bayern Munich, one of the biggest clubs in the
World, and the past year has been particularly outstanding.
He
said through the age competitions, Eto has been equally consistent, reaching
the highest point of it all with gold at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. The
Cameroonian, he said, was also profound influence in his country’s
qualification for the 2002 World Cup finals in Japan/Korea.
On
the unprecedented spate of expulsions at the ongoing Nations Cup finals in
Mali, he said CAF would make no official pronouncement on it since they are all
internal matters.
He,
however, hailed the stand of team officials in insisting that African players
exhibit the same standard of discipline when playing for their countries as
they do when they play for their clubs abroad.
“We
don’t say don’t negotiate your bonuses; we don’t say don’t have any
differences. What we say is that negotiate your bonuses at home but when you
come here, play the game according to the rules of your team and the
competition,” he concluded.
So
far, four players, including Kuffour and Morocco’s Ouaddou Abdeslam who plays
at Fulham, have been thrown out of the CAN 2002.
The
latest to be expelled by his team officials is Shabani Nonda, the
Burundian-born player of Congo DR, all for various acts of indiscipline.
GRi…/
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Shake-up in Kotoko
Barring
any unforeseen development the future of Kumasi Asante Kotoko is going to be
shaped by an epoch making event at the Manhyia Palace on Saturday, according to
sports bi-weekly, Graphic Sports.
At
the behest of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, spiritual Head and life Patron of Kotoko,
all stakeholders of the club will gather to have an insight into how the club
is to be run in the coming months and years.
The
stakeholders will specifically be briefed on the composition of a new board for
the club. Kotoko has been without a board since Mr Herbert Mensah was entrusted
with the running of the club three seasons ago.
Other
matters relating to how best Kotoko can claw back its phenomenal influence in
national and continental football are also likely to be discussed.
Although
Herbert Mensah has had a management team in place since assuming office, the
absence of a board-situation engendered by the suspension of the club’s
supporters.
They
have all along called for the restoration of the board to, at least, ensure
checks and balances in the administration of the club. The last Kotoko board
was under the chairmanship of Mr E.K. Adu, now Ghana’s Ambassador to Denmark.
The
coming into being of a new Kotoko board is certain to have some ramifications
for the present management team for approval by the board. What role Herbert
Mensah himself is going to play under the in-coming board has also been
agitating people’s mind.
One
school of thought postulates that since Herbert has invested in the club, he
should be appointed the Chief Executive with a seat on the board to see to the
day to day running of the club, but answerable to the board. However, this is
countered by some, who point out that such an arrangement can only be a recipe
for a chaotic running of the Porcupine club.
They
buttress their argument with the kind of personality clash that characterised
the relationship between the Maxibllion board and Georgido management that
almost paralysed the administration of the club.
In
consequences of this argument, another school of thought is of the view that
the team should be given to a new management to mark a fresh beginning for the
club.
Some
well-placed followers of Kotoko believe that Otumfuo as the sole owner of the
club will announce the new board on Saturday, or out of respect for some
“senior citizens” of the club he might compare notes and defer the naming of
the board for a few days.
One
issue that is likely to take centre stage on Saturday’s all-important meeting
is the situation of the club’s liability, especially bills run up under the
Herbert Mensah administration, and how to address it.
Some
people have advocated the setting up of a team of auditors by the Otumfuo
himself to reconcile the accounts of the club with a view to injecting a true
spirit of professionalism into Kotoko.
The
likelihood of a vacuum being created in the club, especially regarding player
recruitment, in the event of change in administration, has also been agitating
minds. The fear is that it could lead to Kotoko missing out on the race to sign
good players for the upcoming season.
A
recurrent expectation that emerged from interviews with supporters of the club
is that in response to the urgency to usher Kotoko into a new era of sound
financial management, Otumfuo could unveil an Endowment Fund for the club along
the lines of the laudable Otumfuo Educational Endowment Fund.
Meanwhile,
Mr Kwabena Badu, a.k.a. Coker, a former top Kotoko and Black Stars player, has
appealed to Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to let identifiable organs in the club, namely
AKOPA, the Circles and Ladies club to elect their representatives onto the
board. He was speaking in an interview.
GRi…/
‘One Man Supporter’ joins colleagues
Segou (Mali) 25
January 2002 - Mr Abraham Boakye, popularly known as ‘One Man Supporter’
arrived in Segou on Wednesday night and teamed up with the supporters to cheer
the Black Stars in their nil-nil drawn game with the Bafana Bafana of South
Africans on Thursday.
Reacting to
allegations levelled against him on Wednesday by a section of the supporters,
Mr Boakye said he was surprised at the charges because he had fulfilled his
part of the contract he had signed with them for the Mali tournament.
He said he
personally made all the contacts for the sponsorship deals with the companies
involved and was able to raise ¢47 million while Vanef/STC provided them with a
bus which operations were valued at ¢30 million cedis.
The ‘One Man
Supporter’ said Castle Milk Stout gave them ¢30 million cedis, 200 T-shirts, 12
cartons of ABL products and 50 golf caps. He said Mid-West Company Limited
donated ¢10 million to the group while Glico doled out five million cedis.
Mr Boakye said he
received donations from Mid-West Company, Accra Brewery, brewers of Castle Milk
Stout, GLICO and Fritz- Tel. He said he was asked by Vanef to fuel the vehicle
from Paga to Bamako and back and that the contract did not permit the bus to
remain with the group while the competition goes on. But it would return to
pick them at the end of the competition.
The Supporterhene
said he could not travel with the supporters because he had to straighten some
business contacts, as he is a licensed cereal buyer for the ministry of Food
and Agriculture. He said he had paid the group their per diem of 20 thousand
cedis per day till Sunday, Jan 27 when he would assume responsibility once
more.
He said the only
problem he discovered the group had was that of accommodation and he has bought
16 mattresses for them to alleviate their sufferings. The ‘One Man Supporter’
said he remains grateful to the companies, which made the trip of his group
possible and assured them that he would not divert their contributions to other
uses apart from what they are intended for.
GRi…/
Attuquayefio says problem with Hearts blown out of proportion
Accra (Greater
Accra) 25 January 2002 - The head coach of Accra Hearts of Oak, "Sir"
Cecil Jones Attuquayefio, said the perceived disagreement between him and the
Management Board over the number of players the team has to keep for next
soccer season has been blown out of proportion.
He said while the
board feels that keeping the 41 players would overburden the club financially,
he was of the opinion that the team has not reaped the full benefit from the
players after spending one billion cedis in last year’s recruitment exercise.
The Board through
its management gave the coach an ultimatum to submit a list of 30 players out
of the 41 that was registered.
The coach told the
GNA Sports in an interview that since training resumed early this year,
attendance has been very poor and added that such a decision should be taken
after the full compliment of the team is known.
Narrating his side
of the story, the coach said prior to him taking over the reigns of Italian
Coach Giusseppe Dossena as helmsman of the Black Stars, he had discussions
with management on
specific number of players he needed and how much the players were to be
offered.
He said the idea was
that since Hearts had won the Champions League and many players would want to
be associated with the team, management could use that as bargaining chip to
control the "market" price.
However, the coach
said on his return, management had recruited 24 players, which later became a
problem because the fans and other influential people wanted to see the new
players thus forcing him to adopt the rotational selection of the players.
He said this
accounted for the inconsistency in the team’s performance last season, which
nearly caused them the title. In spite of the problem, coach Attuquayefio said
he was happy to be with Hearts.
"I have
received tremendous support from both players and supporters and I think I have
been well treated than any other coach Hearts have had", he said.
The coach is
scheduled to travel to the United States for a month's leave and while there,
he would be attached to Rochester Rhinos, the current Champions in the States.
On his vision for
the club in the up-coming season, he said "my aim and philosophy is to win
every trophy"
GRi…/
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Okwawu on a rebuilding exercise
Accra (Greater Accra) 24 January 2002 - Soccer
mountaineers, Okwawu United, has begun a massive rebuilding exercise, assembling
a youthful team in a bid to winning this year's league title.
Dr Felix K. Frimpong, Board Chairman of the
club, told the GNA Sports in Accra that the current squad is ageing hence the
need to revamp it with younger ones in order to become a force to reckon with
in Ghana soccer.
He said the aim of the club is to present a
brand new Okwawu United and to break the two-horse race that Hearts and Kotoko
have enjoined in the league and has persisted for years. The Chairman said what
makes the rebuilding unique is the fact that the old players are not going to
be put on transfer list but management is instead collaborating with some
selected foreign clubs to resettle them.
As one of the measures, the team has signed a
two-year contract each with coaches Charles Yeboah, 41, and Philip Boamah, 49,
to beef up the technical team headed by Suley. Yeboah has had a stint with some
Nigerian teams including Julius Berger and he is said to have gone back to
prepare to join the Okwawu boys.
Asked whether the new team would not face
problem of cohesion, the medical doctor said, "these are players who have
either played in the division one or two and as such I think they can easily
adjust. Okwawu will perform 100 times better than last year and hopefully we
shall represent Ghana in Africa after the season", he said apparently
referring to the Champions League.
Meanwhile, Dansoman-based Liberty Professionals
have approached Okwawu to "buy" two of their players -Alfred Nii
Larbi Darko and Nii Aryee Tetteh.
GRi…/
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Two colts clubs to represent Ghana
Accra (Greater
Accra) 25 January 2002 - Two colts soccer clubs based in Accra, B.T
International and Kingdoko Babies are scheduled to leave Ghana by road on 31st
January to participate in a youth tournament in Nigeria dubbed Murtala Ramat
Youth cup.
Speaking to GNA
Sports in Accra on Thursday, Mr Henry Aryee, member of the National Juvenile
Football Association, said the tournament which would take place in the
Nigerian town of Gumel-Jigawa, would kick off on February 4 and ends on 13
February.
He said 16 clubs are
taking part in the tournament with eight of them from Nigeria and two each
coming from Ghana, Togo, Benin and Cote d'Ivoire. He said invitation has been
sent to some clubs in Belgium and Denmark but the organisers are yet to receive
confirmation of their participation.
Mr Aryee said the
winner of the tournament would be sponsored by the organisers to take part in
another international competition either in Denmark or Belgium adding that the
Nigerian tournament has no cash prize at stake.
He said B.T
International are taking part in the competition for the fifth time and had won
bronze medal on two occasions while Kingdoko Babies are having their maiden
edition.
Mr Aryee hinted that
B.T International would take part in another youth tournament in a Nigerian
town called Bayelsi but Kingdoko Babies are expected to return to Ghana just
after the competition.
GRi…/
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