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Igesund linked with Ghana job
15/05/2008 12:24 - (SA)
Johannesburg - Former Mamelodi Sundowns coach Gordon Igesund, is on the short list for one of Africa's top national coaching jobs - Ghana.
Igesund who has won the Premier Soccer League title with four clubs, Manning Rangers, Orlando Pirates, Santos and Downs, is one of the favourites to replace Frenchman Claude LeRoy, as Ghana coach and lead the Black Stars at the 2010 Soccer World Cup finals in South Africa.
LeRoy, who guided the Black Stars to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil in February, has rejected an extension of his contract and leaves at the end of May.
Igesund was offered the post two years back and is highly regarded by the Ghana Football Association. He is one of seven coaches on the GFA shortlist, according to soccer agent Jean-Marc Eyango.
Said Eyango: "Igesund stands a very good chance of becoming the new Ghana coach. He has a superb CV and is the sort of coach the Ghana FA are looking for. The GFA had a list of 17 top coaches and trimmed it to seven.
"We expect to know who the successful candidate is by the end of next week. Igesund is right up there and would be ideal to take charge of Ghana at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa."
Igesund on Thursday confirmed he was on the Ghana FA's short list, but said while he felt privileged by the attention from the GFA, he is keeping his options open.
Igesund, who has been offered coaching jobs in the PSL, Austria and Saudi Arabia, admitted; "The Ghana job excites me as a brilliant challenge at the right time of my career and I would have to admit the Ghana job is top of my list. But I will have to wait and see what develops next week."
Although Igesund would not be drawn it is sad that a top nation such as Ghana recognises the good work he has done in the PSL and rated him highly enough to seriously consider him to coach the Black Stars while the SA Football Association have appointed an unknown and untested Brazilian, Joel Santana, to coach Bafana Bafana at the 2010 World Cup.
Nobody could blame Igesund for jumping at the chance to coach one of the best teams on the continent and one of the African sides with the ability to get to the semi-finals in 2010 after being snubbed by Safa.
Said Igesund: "I would obviously love to coach my country, but Ghana is a huge challenge with their array of top-name players. I would love to coach them, especially at the 2010 World Cup."
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