Black Stars Job Most Challenging of All - Grant

Black Stars head coach, Avram Grant has admitted coaching the senior national team of Ghana is the toughest challenge of his coaching life.

The Israeli trainer has had stints with English Premier League clubs – Chelsea and Portsmouth and his native Israel’s national team.

Grant, who’s in the final year of his 18-month contract with Ghana said, coaching the four-time Africa Cup of Nations champions has been the most difficult task of his life.

“I wanted to come to Africa and coach a team as I knew the continent has enormous football talents,” he told the media before Ghana’s last AFCON 2017 qualifier match against Rwanda.

“With this pool of talent, I found it difficult to understand why no African country has made it beyond the Quarter finals of a world cup.

“And this got me to accept the Black Stars challenge and hope to make history with Ghana if we qualify to Russia for the 2018 FIFA World Cup,” he added.

Black Stars Job Most Challenging of All - Grant

Accra Pitch Is The Worst Ever

Ghana coach, Avram Grant, has decried the poor state of the Accra Sports Stadium’s pitch, after the Black Stars were held by the Amavubi of Rwanda yesterday, describing it as the ‘worst’ he has ever encountered.

The former Chelsea trainer was not happy with the conditioning and the quality of the pitch, which made the game difficult for his players, in terms of control and executing a final delivery.

In a post-match interview with the press, Grant said; “To be honest, I think the pitch is one of the worst I have ever seen.

“During the match, I asked one of the stadium managers to put water on the pitch, he told me there was no money for fuel, which was unfortunate.

“If we want the best from our players, we must give them the necessary tools to get the best out of them.”

Grant also revealed how ‘very angry’ some of the clubs of certain players were, when their players got injured due to the state of the pitch in the Ghana-Mozambique game at the same venue, some few months back.

Meanwhile, the Black Stars are due to play 2018 World Cup Host, Russia, in an international friendly on Tuesday, September 5, 2016.

Accra Pitch Is The Worst Ever

PLB Set Date For 2nd Registration Transfer Window

The Premier League Board (PLB) has set Monday May 2, 2016 as the date for the opening of the 2nd Registration period for the ongoing 2015/16 Ghana Premier League.

 

The second transfer window would be opened for a one-month period as it would be closed on Wednesday June 1, 2016.

 

All Premier League Clubs are to take note for compliance.

 

SOURCE : GFA

PLB Set Date For 2nd Registration Transfer Window

"I didn"t Have Time To Monitor Ghanaian Players In Africa" - Grant

Coach of the Black Stars Avram Grant has highlighted the lack of time on his side which prevented him from monitoring Ghanaian players who ply their trade on the African continent in his latest selection of players for the team.

Numerous Ghanaian players have shown some impressive form in some African countries leading to call by many for them to be considered for the national team.

Noticeable among these players are Daniel Nii Adjei, Gladson Awako, Yaw Frimpong, Richard Kissi Boateng and Benard Morrison who are all based in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

At a press conference in Accra on Tuesday ahead of Ghana’s AFCON 2017 qualifier with Mozambique, Coach Grant said, “I didn’t have time in monitoring them and I feel sorry about that, but as you know we have some issues with the monitoring system, so am still considering plans to expand my coverage of Ghana players”.

The 61 year old also emphasized that most of the players ply their trade in Europe, but at the right time he will monitor every performing Ghanaian player regardless of where he plays.

Coach Grant will lead the Black Stars to play the Os Mambas of Mozambique at the Accra Sports Stadium on Thursday with the return fixture set for Sunday as they aim to secure passage to next year’s AFCON in Gabon.

"I didn"t Have Time To Monitor Ghanaian Players In Africa" - Grant

I Don"t Think Of National Call-Up - Muntari Tagoe

Captain and goalkeeper of Medeama SC Muntari Tagoe has revealed unlike other players he solely focuses on his performance at club level and doesn’t think of national team call-up as he believes when the time is right the recognition will come as well.

 

 

Arguably one of the best safest pair of hands in the Ghana Premier League at the moment, Muntari Tagoe has led SC Medeama to win two trophies this past year, winning the 2015 MTN FA Cup and 2016 FA Super Cup.

His sharp reflexes and ability to save sticky situations during matches have seen him as one of the most sought-after goalkeepers in the country at the moment.

It then comes as a surprise to many when his name is constantly omitted from players invited to the senior national team, Black Stars, but this according to him is in God’s hands.

 

“For me, I don’t like to think about that too much because sometimes it tends to distracts players. I am doing my best of my team so that we get as far as we can in any competition and if possible, win it, so I am more focused on that”, Muntari Tagoe mentioned.

 

 

“These decisions like I said go way higher than me so I have nothing to say than to go about my normal activities with my Club. But what I believe in is that, when the time comes for me to be called up, no man can do anything about it”, he added.

I Don"t Think Of National Call-Up - Muntari Tagoe