GRi Sports Ghana 11 – 10 - 2001
Appiah wants to leave AC Parma
Accra (Greater Accra) 11 October 2001-Mr Osam Duodu chief tactician of the senior national team, the Black Stars, has said that he would shut the doors of the national team on players who fail to report to camp by October 18.
Speaking to the GNA Sports on Wednesday, Mr Doudu said he would not condone truancy to the detriment of the overall objectives of his preparations for the Cup of African Nations (CAN) 2002, which gets underway in Mali next January.
"We are in a serious group and we must define our priorities in the interest of the nation because the whole country expects us to do well in Mali.' He said he has had the complement of players from all clubs except Kumasi Asante Kotoko and wondered why there are media speculations of players abandoning the national camp.
The coach lauded the management of Obuasi Goldfields and Accra Hearts of Oak for communicating with him regularly on the availability or otherwise of their players, adding that Goldfields indeed sought permission for their players before they went to Cote d' Ivoire for a Confederation of African Football (CAF) cup match against African Sports.
He said the Mr Harry Zakkour, chairman of Hearts of Oak telephoned to inform him that Ishmael Addo was permitted to travel and when he returned, the Chairman called again to inform him about his (Addo) return and his availability for camping.
Mr Duodu said though he has written to both the chairman and head coach of Kotoko but he has not as yet received any replies from them. "I am still expecting replies to my letters but when we regroup on October 15, any player who does not come before the week's training ends must count himself out of my plans for Mali."
He asked the administrators of premier league clubs to take a cue from their counterparts in Senegal and Burkina Faso who are regularly releasing their players into their national camps thereby enabling them to play friendly matches, which are relevant to building their teams.
On the final outlook of his team for the championship, the coach said the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has opened discussions with the foreign-based players while his personal agents, Seabreeze Ventures are constantly feeding him with information on all our players in Europe.
"Abubakar Yakubu has been in tremendous form at Ajax, Razak Ibrahim is fantastic at Empoli, Peter Ofori Quaye has started scoring again at Olympiakos and Derek Boateng is back on the blocks at Panathanaikos.
The coach was confident that he would raise a strong team to put up a big challenge for the trophy in Mali.
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FIFA on Wednesday announced that African countries, except for the South African Republic, will be given the right to broadcast the 2002 World Cup finals on Television free of charge.
This agreement was reached in 1996 with Swiss ISM company, which had the right of broadcasting World Cup matches. The company was declared bankrupt in 2001 and the German Kirch media group bought the broadcasting rights.
FIFA press secretary Andreas Herren announced that the decision is aimed at the development of football in African countries including those who don't have appropriate infrastructures and are not able to pay for the broadcasting.
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Italian soccer giants, AC Milan are said to be harbouring the intention of tempting Bayern Munich with $13.7m plus Brazilian defender Roque Junior for their priced defender Samuel Osei Kuffour. The German and European champions turned down offers from Barcelona, Inter Milan and Lazio and Roma for the Ghanaian international this summer.
Milan however dismissed the speculation that they are poised to bid for powerful Bayern Munich centre-back Kuffour.
Although the Rossoneri were reported to be trailing the Ghanaian, club vice-president Adriano Galliani shot down any talk of interest on Wednesday saying, "the market is closed for AC Milan," he said.
There had been suggestions Milan would offer defender Roque Junior in part-exchange. But Galliani added: "There is no interest in the Bayern defender and Milan have complete confidence in Roque Junior.
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The Accra High Court has returned $21,000 and ˘84m to Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting Club Limited after having been vindicated in the Eugene Addo transfer case. The amount, equivalent of $50,000, was the alleged sum involved in the transfer of Eugene Addo, an ex-player of Hearts whose transfer to a German Club in August 1999, sparked controversy.
This culminated in an individual, Emmanuel Charles Quartey filing a suit against Hearts and Messrs Nana Wereko Ampem and Ato Ahwoi, President of the Council of Patrons and Chairman of the Board of Directors respectively of the club. Hearts were therefore ordered to pay $50,000 to the court pending the outcome of the suit.
In July, this year however, the Court of Appeal unanimously set aside the judgement of the High Court against the club and ordered a judgement in favour of the defendants. A statement signed by Mr Ashford Tettey Oku, Administrative manager of Hearts, said that the club has already paid Dawu Youngsters, former club of Eugene Addo a share of the transfer fee.
Meanwhile, Hearts has expressed its gratitude to all sympathizers who helped to raise the $50,000 when ordered by the Accra High Court.
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AC Parma midfielder Stephen Appiah is disappointed with coach Ulivieri. "I seriously train and when I play I try to do my best but a footballer in my age has to play. At the end of the season, together with my agent, I will decide what to do," Appiah said.
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