Ghana Sacks National Soccer Coach?

By Lanre Olaleye

Lagos - Barely two weeks after the release of the 2002 World Cup draws, crisis has engulfed Ghana, one of Nigeria's Group B opponents in the qualification race for the mundial.

P.M. Sport authoritatively gathered yesterday that the Nations Cup 2000 co-host is currently in disarray following the sack of coach Guiseppe Dosenna by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) for poor performance. According to sources, the Ghanaian soccer authorities decided to terminate the appointment of the Italian-born coach after the GFA was convinced that the coach lacked the tactical capacity to lead the Black Stars to secure a World Cup qualification ticket ahead of Nigeria.

Before wielding the big axe, the GFA took into account the spate of poor records recorded by the Italian since his appointment. The poor run of the Black Stars under Dosenna reached a climax when the Stars failed to go past the quarter-final stage of the last Nations Cup which Ghana co-hosted with Nigeria. Under his guidance, Ghana's U-23 team failed to qualify for the soccer event of the last All-Africa Games held in South- Africa as well as the forthcoming Sydney Olympics.

Dosenna whose contract is expected to expire in July has been replaced by former Ghanaian soccer star, Abdulrazak Tanko, pending the appointment of a suitable foreign coach. However, the sack of the Italian coach has drawn mixed reactions from the Ghanaian soccer public. While many applauded his sack, some opined that the decision was ill- timed, adding that the development may have a severe effect on how the Black Stars will fare against other World Cup opponents, especially Nigeria.