Ghana's new coach arrives on Jan. 20

Ghana's new expatriate coach Mariano Jeronimo Barreto arrives in the country on January 20 to commence work as helmsman of the Black Stars and the national Olympics soccer teams till 2006.

His arrival had been delayed because he had to seek clearance from his Lokomotiv Moscow club where until the new deal he was the assistant coach.

Mr Rashid Bawa, Minister of State at the Education, Youth and Sports Ministry together with Mr Ben Koufie, Chairman of the Ghana Football Association struck the deal last week in Algeria where the Black Meteors lost 0-1 to the Desert Warriors in the 2004 Athens Olympics qualifier.

A source at the GFA told the GNA Sports in Accra that the two parties (GFA and Coach) appended their signatures to a working document witnessed by a marketing agent, Foot Elite-Intercontact Marking Sarl, represented by its general manager Lucidio Ribeiro.

According to the source, Barreto, 46, will not earn more than his predecessors but instead of the usual enticement fee, he will be given a three-month salary advance to help him settle.

The salary advance though, will be recouped within 12 months through a monthly deduction of 800 dollars.

Aside this, the Portuguese is to be provided with a three bedroom house, a private security, a car and other facilities that will enhance his work.

According to the agreement chanced upon by the GNA Sports Desk, the agent, owners of the popular Afrique Football Magazine will source for sponsorship for the two national teams plus arrangement for international matches and will feature prominently the two teams in the magazine.

The coach who boast of a rich C.V including once handling Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon speaks English, French, Spanish and his mother tongue Portuguese.