Soccer News of Sunday, 12 July 2015

Source: ghanasoccernet.com

Randy Abbey rules himself out of GFA presidential race

Randy Abbey has ruled himself out of the race to become the president of the Ghana Football Association insisting his attention is focused on saving his club Heart of Lions from relegation.

The CEO of the Kpando-based club was tipped among the hot contenders for incumbent Kwesi Nyantakyi’s seat for next month’s elections.

Rumours of his interest in contesting his former boss intensified some months ago after he rejected the position to work as the head of the women’s national team the Black Queens with huge amounts of money reported to have been saved for the campaign.

Abbey’s rift with Nyantakyi coupled with his comments that the ‘battle lines have been drawn’ also fed into the speculation that he would venture into the race to unseat the CAF Executive Committee member.

A publication by the country’s biggest newspaper the Daily Graphic on Friday heightened the speculation but Abbey has emphatically stated that he wants to concentrate on his struggling Heart of Lions.

“I’m not interested in it and don’t care who contests. I have more important things on my mind and not the Presidency, my focus is on my team Lions,” Abbey said.

Heart of Lions are mired in the relegation dogfight as they are 14th in the 16-team league and will need to improve to beat the drop as they are only nine matches remaining.

Apart from Abbey, Fred Pappoe was also tipped for the contest but he has also ruled himself out while Ofeibea Ramatu’s attempt has only been mocked as a joke because she has no locus in football to even stand for the election.

Herbert Mensah is yet to make his intentions clear and even with him he has not been in football administration for the past two years which will disqualify him for the contest.

The window for those interested in contesting Nyantakyi will open on Monday and contestants will have four days to get 11 people in the fraternity to endorse their candidature.