Ghana's Coach Flees

Ghana's Yugoslav coach Milan Zivadinovic has left his job after he was refused leave by the country's football association to return home. The GFA denied Zivadinovic permission to travel to attend to family matters after a meeting with the chairman Ben Koufie on Tuesday.

An infuriated GFA executive body immediately summoned an emergency meeting on Wednesday in which the future of the coach was discussed.

In a statement issued late in the evening, the GFA said a decision would be reached in the next few days over what to do about the situation.

Ghana's golden chance

It has been reported that the coach has not checked out of his hotel completely, with some of his personal effects still in his room.

This is an indication that he intends to return, but there are speculations that he might be dismissed or fined the sum of his $10,000 monthly pay.

Leave

The 58-year-old Zivadinovic, who also heads the Under-23 side, was due to travel to Liberia this week for Ghana's All-African Games qualifier but the that trip is cancelled after the Liberians withdrew.

GFA vice chairman Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah told the Accra radio station Joy FM why the Yugoslav was denied leave.

"When Ziva met the chairman he was told that there are important assignments ahead in the next few weeks and it is inappropriate for him to travel now," Owusu-Ansah said.

"We have a match against Rwanda in the Nations Cup qualifiers next month after the Black Stars lost 1-0 in the first match against Uganda, so he has to stay and prepare the team."

Although Zivadinovic blamed some of the players and the GFA for the defeat in Kampala, he has also done little to increase his popularity.

Zivadinovic signed a two-year contract in May this year as successor to Fred Osam-Duodu, who led the Black Stars to the quarter-finals at the last Nations Cup in Mali.