Grant on Euro tour to meet with players

Newly-appointed Black Stars coach, Avram Grant, who left Accra last Friday for the UK after his unveiling, is expected to kick-start his European scouting mission in Italy, a visit which is also intended to reach out to suspended Stars midfielder, Sulley Muntari.

The AC Milan star lost his place in the Black Stars following his violent conduct at the 2014 FIFA World World Cup in Brazil.

Muntari, together with Kevin-Prince Boateng, was expelled from the team by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) for indiscipline and both remain suspended, but on his unveiling Grant made it clear that he was prepared to put up with the bad boys of Ghana football.

 Already, the GFA is uncomfortable with the move by the 59-year-old tactician, who had handled the likes of Michael Essien, Muntari and Boateng in the past, and is demanding a public apology from the players for their ignoble acts at the last World Cup.

According to a GFA source, Coach Grant’s visit to Italy is part of his two-year contract to scout for foreign-based Ghanaian players in a bid to build a formidable Stars team for AFCON 2017 and qualification for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

He is expected to meet with players such as Emmanuel Agyemang Badu (Udinese), Afriyie Acquah (Parma) and Richmond Boakye Yiadom (Sassoulo) and Michael Essien (AC Milan).

The source said the coach would be on an extensive tour of Europe to bring on board all the best talents who are active in their respective leagues.

 He further disclosed that Grant would return to Ghana in two weeks time to prepare the Black Stars for the 2015 AFCON in Equatorial Guinea.