Desailly to join Stars for AFCON

George Afriyie, the new chairman of the Black Stars Management Committee, has disclosed that Marcel Desailly turned down the opportunity to coach the Stars before the job was handed to former Chelsea coach Avram Grant.

But in an interesting twist, the Lepowura, Alhaji MND Jawula, has also hinted that Desailly would be part of the Black Stars technical team at the 2015 AFCON in Equatorial Guinea.

Both Afriyie and Alhaji Jawula were speaking last Friday at a ceremony held at the Lizzy Sports Complex in Accra to unveil a bronze sculpture in honour of Desailly.

According to Afriyie, he was tasked by the FA to approach the former France captain (Desailly) when the Stars coaching job became vacant after Kwesi Appiah’s departure. However, his advances were rebuffed by Desailly.

He said: “Maybe many of you are not aware that an approach was made, I was one of those tasked to speak to Marcel about whether he was ready to coach the Black Stars.

“I can assure you that I made that approach and he told us that the time was not right for it. I believe that in the near future, he will consider his decision to take over the Black Stars,” Mr Afriyie added.

On his part, the Lepowura and former FA chairman and close confidante of Desailly, Alhaji Jawula, corroborated Mr Afriyie’s account of affairs but dropped the hint that Desailly would be a part of the technical team of the Stars for next month’s AFCON.

“Marcel and I have been in communion and I have spoken to him about coaching the Stars and he said exactly what Mr Afriyie said; that the time would come.

“I think what Mr Afriyie can announce today is that Marcel will play a technical role when we go to Malabo(Equatorial Guinea) and when that is done the Minister for Youth and Sports should organise a float for us in readiness to take the Cup that will land from Malabo”, Alhaji Jawula revealed.

Alhaji Jawula also appealed to the entire nation to rally behind the team so they could have a successful tournament come January in Equatorial Guinea.