Toppmoller spotted in Accra; GFA denies invitation

Experienced coach Klaus Toppmoller, who is linked with the Black Stars job, has been spotted in Accra but the Ghana Football Association (GFA) insists it has not invited the German to the country.

The German trainer was lodging at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Accra days after he was linked with the technical directorship of the Black Stars, the report on Accra-based Oman FM claimed.

According to the report, the 62-year-old former Bayer Leverkusen manager held talks with unnamed officials on Tuesday night at the posh hotel ahead of his reported imminent appointment as Black Stars technical director.

But the GFA has swiftly rebuffed the report insisting Kwesi Appiah still remains head coach of the Black Stars and it has not invited Toppmoller to Ghana.

“Maybe it is one of the Division One sides in Ghana who want to employ him but certainly not the Ghana Football Association. Kwesi Appiah still remains in charge of the team,” GFA Director of Communications Ibrahim Sannie Daara told Accra-based Asempa FM.

“This is the work of agents who are toying with the media by sending journalists on a ghost chase. There is nothing in this report. Quickly disregard it.”

Sannie Daara said such reports are calculated to disrupt Kwesi Appiah’s focus ahead of the second-leg of the World Cup playoff clash.

“With just two weeks before we take Egypt we should be concentrating on the Egyptian not such untrue reports. We should give the coach the needed peace of mind to work. To bring any coach here at this time would be suicidal for us.”

Asked whether there will be any technical changes if the Black Stars qualifies for the World Cup, the GFA says such request must come from coach Appiah.

“If Kwesi Appiah request for any technical support in terms of scouting and other areas we will support him like we have done since he took charge of the team,” Sannie Daara said.

“We supported him with his trip to Manchester City, we got him a top-class video analyst trained by Man City and we have brought him a unique psychologist.

“Such a request must come from coach Kwesi Appiah.” Toppmoeller last managed Georgia in 2008.