Soccer News of Tuesday, 19 February 2008
Source: www.ghanasoccernet.com
Ghana coach Claude Le Roy launched a scathing attack on the Confederation of African Football (Caf)'s choices for the best players during the just-ended MTN African Cup of Nations.
The Frenchman is unhappy that Caf's Technical Study Group named Egyptian Hosny Abd Rabou as the best player of the tournament ahead of Black Stars midfielder Michael Essien.
Essien, who plays for English side Chelsea, won two MTN Man-of-the-Match awards during the tournament as well as a Fair Play award and only finished among the best XI of the tournament.
Le Roy says Caf's Technical Study Group is lacking in ability, claiming the group named midfielder Sulley Muntari as a defender in the best XI for the competition.
"If you look at the best eleven players of the tournament, you can see that Michael was selected as a defender and Sulley as a left back," Le Roy said.
"That raises a lot of questions on the competence of the people who made the choice.
"For me Essien was by far the best player of the tournament and the second best player was Sulley Muntari.
The Frenchman, with extensive coaching experience in Africa, added that defender John Mensah and striker Junior Agogo should have been named among the best players in the tournament.
"It will be always difficult to name the best defenders in the world and not name John Mensah let alone Africa," the 60-year-old said.
"In this tournament, he did very well to be among the best eleven.
"I think Junior Agogo should also have been there."
Essien, Muntari and goalkeeper Richard Kingston were the Ghanaian players selected for the best players for the 2008 MTN Africa Cup of Nations.