Grant now to stay in Ghana
Under-fire Black Stars coach, Avram Grant, has been directed to stay put in the country and scout for strikers from the ongoing GHALCA G6 tournament to beef up his squad ahead for the remaining Russia 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
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The ‘order’ was a fallout of an informal meeting between some top FA officials and the Israeli coach shortly after the Black Stars’ disastrous 0-2 defeat to the Pharaohs of Egypt in Alexandria in a crucial World Cup qualifier last Sunday.
A source close to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) which whispered this to the Graphic Sports yesterday stressed that Grant was impressed upon not to travel back to the UK but stay in the country as a matter of urgency and seek for good local strikers from the G6 tournament to sharpen the Stars attack which was non-existent against Egypt.
While Grant has been over-relying on a foreign-based attacking line which has fired blank in recent games, the source said the FA officials who engaged the Stars coach after the match demanded that he turned his eyes towards local strikers since some of them had the quality to fit into the current Stars set-up.
For instance, while the Stars played well, Jordan Ayew, who led the Stars attack against Egypt, lacked the cutting edge but was kept on the pitch throughout, while young potential strikers such as Ebenezer Assifuah and Samuel Tetteh remained on the bench to the surprise of many.
The source said Grant was also urged to start taking risks, which is part of the coaching job, to help change the face of the very predictable Stars’ team.
It, however, emphasised that Ghana would continue to fight to the end despite the five-point gap between the Pharaohs and the Stars.
‘We have not given up at all. Two mistakes cost us against Egypt. But we will continue to fight to beat Congo home and away and also beat Uganda away and Egyp at home to remain in contention for qualification,” the source added.
Ghana are currently third in Group E with just a point, trailing leaders Egypt who have six points, followed by Uganda with four points, while Congo are bottom without a point.
...Wants to win 2017 Africa Cup
Head coach of the Black Stars, Avram Grant, after faltering in their second 2018 World Cup qualifier against the Pharoahs of Egypt in Alexandria, has since been evasive on talks about his future with the Ghana senior national football team, saying he is bent on lifting the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations trophy.
After being held to a barren draw by the Cranes of Uganda at his backyard in their first qualifier, football fans in Ghana have described Coach Grant and the performance of his team as uninspiring.
The Black Stars have unusually lost their last five matches with the team’s chances of gaining a ticket for their fourth World Cup almost slipping, especially after the team lost 2-0 to their Egyptian opponents who are currently leading the Group H log.
The former Chelsea manager is optimistic about his chances and is bent on staying in the country to see off his contract.
''Yes, we have African Cup. Our target is very clear. I always want to finish my contract. Our contract is the African Cup that was two years and three months, I want to win the African Cup. It will not be easy, there are other good teams but it is possible,” he said and stressed the need for him to be given the chance to tackle his assignments systematically.
''In football, you cannot think beyond two or three months. Two or three months is too much. Let's do what we need to do at the African Cup and then we think about what's next,” Coach Grant stated.