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Ghana FA condemns Avram Grant's agent for local league comments

Xinhua, August 29, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has taken a swipe at the agent of Black Stars coach Avram Grant for making comments that the local premier league is low in quality.

Saif Rubie claimed in an interview with the BBC that the lack of talent in the league was the reason the trainer was unable to sit in Ghana to monitor locally-based players.

The GFA in a statement on Friday said the premier and lower-tier leagues were filled with hugely talented players some of whom had recently moved to play for top-flight sides in the top leagues of Europe.

It cited Baba Abdul-Rahman, who just two seasons ago played for Asante Kotoko in the local league, and recently signed to play for English Premier League side Chelsea, one of the top teams in the world.

The FA said while it was true that one of the challenges of the league was the exodus of players, the failure of national team coaches in monitoring talents from the local leagues was even more corrosive.

It said players would be encouraged to stay longer to play in Ghana if national team coaches paid more attention to the leagues.

That is because they would know that their utmost desire of playing for the Ghana national team can also be achieved by playing in the country, the FA said.

According to the GFA, the greatest asset any football federation has for the development of football in its country is its league; and with the GFA investing in the league and paying more attention to its progress, it is investing in the success and future of Ghana football.

It said the GFA was committed to paying more attention to the leagues, as a progressive football federation - to help strengthen its competitions to deliver the best sporting entertainment to people in Ghana while discovering talented players to ensure the long-term stability and a brighter future for the national teams.

Grant has dissociated himself from his agent's comments, insisting that his doors were open to both local and foreign based players.

Grant's latest squad includes two home-based players - goalkeepers Richard Ofori (Wa All Stars) and Fatau Dauda of Ashanti Gold. Endi