Ghana's new coach arrives tonight

Ghana's new expatriate coach, Mariano Jeronimo Barreto is scheduled to arrive in the country this evening aboard a KLM flight to commence work as helmsman of the Black Stars and the national Olympics soccer teams for a two year term up to 2006. Mariano who is expected to be accompanied by his manager, Lucidio Ribeiro who doubles as the general manager of marketing agent, Foot Elite-Intercontact Marketing Sarl and his wife are expected to arrive at 8:30pm.

The coach and his entourage are expected to lodge at the Ajoa Wangara Hotel, the former lodging place for previous expatriate coaches, Milan Zivadinovic, Buckhard Zeise and Ralph Zumdick. Information reaching the GNA Sports indicates that Mariano's marriage with his former team Lokomotive Moscow which delayed his arrival has now been sorted out.

The coach has made the news in the media for the past week with allegations that he was merely a physical instructor rather than a coach, is expected to conclude talks with the Ghana Football Association (GFA) with regards to the proposed two-year contract by the two parties. Alhaji Rashid Bawa, Minister of State at the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports together with Mr Ben Koufie, Chairman of the Ghana Football Association struck the deal with the Portuguese while the national Olympic Soccer team, the Black Meteors was on an international assignment in Algeria where they lost 0-1 to the Desert Warriors in the 2004 Athens Olympics qualifier.

A source at the GFA told the GNA Sports in Accra that the two parties (GFA and the Coach) appended their signatures to a working document which will see Barreto, 46, earning not more than his predecessors but instead of the usual enticement fee, he will be given a three-month salary advance to help him settle. The salary advance though, is expected to be re-couped within 12 months through a monthly deduction of 800 dollars. Aside this, the Portuguese is to be provided with a three bedroom house, a private security, a car and other facilities that will enhance his work.

According to the agreement the GNA Sports Desk spotted, the agents who are the owners of the popular Afrique Football Magazine will source for sponsorship for the two national teams plus arrangement for international matches and will prominently feature the two teams in the magazine. The coach who boast of a rich C.V including once handling Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon speaks English, French, Spanish and his mother tongue Portuguese.