Troussier Out, As ...

... 'Sir' Jones & Le Roy battle for Stars job
Accra, Sept 6, GNA -- Philip Troussier, one of the three short-listed coaches for the senior national team, the Black Stars, has for the second time failed to turn up for the much publicised interview.

The interview which is meant to select a coach for the Black Stars after the departure of Serbian Ratomir Djukovic was held on Wednesday, September 6 and saw only Claude Le Roy and Sir Cecil Jones Attuquayefio showing up.

The Frenchman took the nation through a similar experience when he failed to attend a scheduled GFA interview in 2004. Troussier who has been on the hit list of the GFA for the past years, according to Mr Randy Abbey, Communications Director of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) sent a correspondence on Monday asking for the interview to be rescheduled to enable him attend to his sick father. The Frenchman known across the continent as "the witch doctor", asked the FA to reschedule the interview to September 11, but Mr Abbey said the nine-man committee tasked with the responsibility of searching for a coach has completed its work.

Mr Abbey said there will not be another interview for Troussier, meaning it's now a straight fight between the former coach of DR Congo, Claude Le Roy and Sir Cecil Jones Attuquayefio of Liberty Professionals.

The two coaches went through a two and half hour grilling at the hands of the nine-member committee.

Le Roy took a greater portion of the interview as he spent an hour and half answering questions bothering on his knowledge of the African game, coaching philosophy, personality traits and his vision for the nation among others.

Speaking after the interview, Coach Le Roy described the process as an exciting one because they had an hour of practical discussions on football.

"It will be an honour to lead the Black Stars since Ghana is one of the greatest soccer nations on the continent." Le Roy said.

He noted that "football is a game of humility and with this I believe I can lead the nation to glory."

The Frenchman was very confident of his chances, an opportunity he has been chasing for the past years.

He revealed that the major task at hand is to supervise the team to annex the 2008 Cup of Nations to be hosted by Ghana.

Coach Attuquayefio also expressed optimism about his chances of getting the job that he once handled in 2002.

"I'm well qualified to do the job because I have learnt enough over the past years and ready to take up the challenge.

"My main priority is to plot the success of the nation at the 2008 Nations Cup, which has eluded us for the past years", veteran Attuquayefio added.

When asked if he would be prepared to take up the position of a Technical Director of the FA, he said 93I applied for the Black Stars job and I'm confident of getting it and that's all that I need."

The nine-man committee is made up of Kwesi Nyantakyie, President of the GFA, his Vice, Fred Pappoe and Kofi Nsiah, the General Secretary. The rest include Alloysious Denkabe and Jones Abu Alhassan, all members of the Executive Committee of the GFA.

The others are Abedi Pele Ayew, Ben Koufie and Oheneba Charles, all former members of the GFA, and Sam Arday, former coach of the Black Stars.