Dede Ayew, Samuel Tetteh, Iwobi to miss Ghana vs Nigeria tie
Chris Hughton to be appointed Ghana coach
The decision to expedite appointing the next Black Stars coach is mainly due to the fact that the Black Stars have an important assignment in March and cannot go into that game without a head coach.
Both government and the Ghana Football Association may hold different opinions on who should succeed Milovan Rajevac but one thing they both certainly agree on is the fact that they are racing against time to appoint the next Ghana coach.
With two decisive matches against sworn-rival, the Super Eagles of Nigeria, the Black Stars cannot go into the game without a head coach hence the rush by the FA and government to appoint the next Black Stars coach.
Their work could, however, be rendered useless if the Parliamentary Select Committee on Youth and Sports deems the March assignment not important.
This is after the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin directed the committee to investigate the circumstances that led to Ghana’s poor showing at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
TWI NEWS
Bagbin said that the report by the committee which he expects later this month will determine whether the Black Stars will be allowed to play the Nigeria game or forfeit it.
“It’s important that we take a very serious view of it and that’s why the investigation, so at the end of the day this house will have the opportunity to discuss, debate it and then we take a decision.”
“I think that we should consider the matter before any further engagement of the Black Stars with any team towards whether qualifying for the World Cup or whatever, so that we can deal with it and try to right the wrongs before if necessary we engage Nigeria for the qualifying match and if we deem it not necessary we will say so, ” Bagbin said on the floor of Parliament.
Forfeiture of the tie will mean that Nigeria will be handed six points and six goals from the two matches.
TWI NEWS
It will also mean that for the second time, Ghana will fail to qualify for the global football festival.
The Black Stars have been paired with Nigeria for the play-off scheduled for March. Ghana will host Nigeria on March 23 before travelling to Nigeria on March 26 for the return encounter.
The winner of the two-legged tie will be one of Africa’s five representatives at the 2022 World Cup which will be held in Qatar.
