Overseas pros face Slovenia

Ghana have picked a squad of mainly foreign-based professionals for their friendly match against World Cup finalists Slovenia in Ljucljana on May 17, officials told AFP Friday.

"We're parading a team of foreign-based pros for the match to enable the new coach (Zivadinovic Millan) make a first assessment of the players," said Malik Jabir, who has been acting as caretaker coach.

"The players will join us in Italy on May 15 from where we will leave for Slovenia."

Several of the young players who featured at the African Nations Cup in Mali in February where the Black Stars reached the quarter-finals have been named in the 18-man squad.

They include Micheal Essien of Bastia, Ibrahim Razak of Empoli, Derek Boateng from Panathiniakos and George Blay, who plays for Belgian side Standard Liege. Officials told AFP that Millan, who will earn about 8,000 dollars a month, will join the team in Slovenia.

The Yugoslav coach was to have begun work on May 1 but he has had to wait for approval from the government.

Ghana to earn $20,000 from Slovenia Match

Ghana will earn US $20,000 for her friendly warm up match against Slovenia on May 17. The money, which constitutes the appearance fee for the Black Stars is $10,000 less than the proposed $30,000 fee from the Ghana Football Association but the Slovenian authorities say they can only afford $20,000. In spite of the seeming unattractiveness of the fee, Ghana will confirm the friendly match and will send a delegation of 18 players and seven officials to Slovenia to play the match.

Officials of the Ghana Football Association say they have accepted to play the match because Ghana is seeking to improving its sporting relationship with Slovenia. The two million people will also bear the traveling expenses of the Black Stars.