The Black Stars could have a new coach in place by the time Ghana meets Australia in Sydney on May 23, one week before the Stars begin their South Africa 2010 World Cup campaign against Libya in Kumasi.
Following the refusal by Claude Le Roy to accept the GFA’s contract extension, the FA is seeking to appoint Ghana’s 21st expatriate coach in 50 years to prepare the team against the Socceroos ahead of the Group 5 preliminary round qualifier on June 1.
Ghana’s busy World Cup qualifying schedule next month does not give the GFA the luxury of time to look for a new coach, hence the decision to head-hunt for Le Roy’s successor as quickly as possible.
Names making rounds within the corridors of the FA include Ghanaian-born French football legend, Marcel Desailly, who has openly declared on many occasions his intention to coach his country of birth, former ex-Asante Kotoko and one-time Hearts of Oak trainer Ernst Middendorp, his compatriot, Ralf Zumdick, who was in the Stars hot seat four years ago when Ghana hit the road to Germany 2006 against Somalia.
Some daring officials within the football ruling body have even suggested an audacious move for a high-profile European coach like the departing Barcelona coach, Frank Rijkaard.
The GFA’s decision to head-hunt the next national coach instead of inviting applications for the vacant job, is aimed at forestalling a similar situation Ghana faced after the unceremonious exit of Portuguese coach, Mariano Baretto, who abandoned the Stars midway through Ghana’s World Cup group qualifier three years ago.
Even though Desailly has no previous coaching history, some football connoisseurs including former GFA capo, Lepowura Alhaji M.N.D. Jawula, have made a case for the Frenchman, who is one of the most decorated footballers of his era, with winner’s medals at the FIFA World Cup, European Championship, FIFA Confederations Cup, UEFA Champions League at Olympique Marseille and AC Milan, among other honours at club and national levels.
Interestingly, the much-respected Middendorp who recently lost his job at German Bundesliga side, Arminia Beilefeld, was expected to breeze into the country last night for private business, as well as to participate in the May 9 memorial today.
The German was coach of Kotoko when Ghana’s worst football tragedy occurred seven years ago.
However, his associates including former Kotoko CEO, Mr Herbert Mensah, who describes the German as “perhaps the best expatriate coach Ghana has seen in recent years”, have been quick to disassociate Middendorp’s unannounced visit to a possible bid to succeed Le Roy.
Matthaeus, who captained Germany to their fourth World Cup title in 1990, was among the number of European coaches who visited Ghana during the MTN Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
Story by Maurice Quansah
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