Barreto set to coach Ghana

Ghana look set to hand Portugal's Mariano Barreto a two-year contract as head coach, despite question marks over his credentials.

Barreto is in the final stages of negotiations with the Ghana Football Association (GFA) about taking up the post, but the governing body has already been heavily criticised for considering him.

Media reports have suggested that the Portuguese made certain claims in his CV to the GFA that were not entirely true.

The controversy centres on Barreto's links with Borussia Dortmund and whether he has ever actually been a head coach during his twenty year career.

The 46-year old said on his job application that he was an assistant to current Bayern Munich coach Ottmar Hitzfield during his time with Borussia Dortmund when they won the 1997 European Champions league.

However when a local newspaper questioned that claim, he told journalists that actually he had been employed by Dortmund to help the club's Portuguese midfielder Paolo Sousa recover from an injury at the time.

Barreto also said that he had at one time been the head coach of Portuguese side Alverca, but then explained that in actual fact he had been the caretaker coach at the club for a few weeks.

The coach however is undaunted by this criticism.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for me to assert myself as head coach", he said.

"In my career I have trained some of the world's best players like Joao Pinto, Louis Figo and others, I am here to help Ghana and also my career."

"My motivation is to coach a team to the world cup, Ghana has good young players and I know I can achieve something."

Despite the controversy surrounding the coach, GFA boss Ben Koufie is confident Barreto can do a good job for the Black Stars.