Sports
Ex Black Stars coach Renard hails Jordan Ayew’s progress
Two-time AFCON winner and former Black Stars trainer, Renard Herve, has described Ghana striker, Jordan Ayew as a promising striker capable of projecting the Black Stars and Africa on the global stage in future.
Renard, who managed the Crystal Palace striker at French club Sochaux in 2014 as a 22 year-old, hailed the player’s progress and described him as the future of the Black Stars.
“He is improving because it is not easy to play in the Premier League. He is working very hard. He is clever, doesn’t talk too much. Jordan is in my heart and I like his spirit. I am very sure from now till the end of his career; he will do a lot of great things.
He added that it was his wish to see Jordan and his senior brother Andre Ayew, win the AFCON before ending their careers because they deserved it.
Quizzed about taking charge of the Black Stars in the future, Renard who had a stint with the Stars as one of the assistants to Claude Le Roy in 2008 did not rule out that possibility.
“Coming to coach Ghana will be a fantastic challenge but no one knows tomorrow. Ghana was on top but now a little bit down. The potential, however, is still the same. One day it will be your management and government that have to decide if we want to bring this man”, stated the Frenchman.
Speaking to the local media, the former Black Stars trainer, Herve Renard, also welcomed a return to a coaching role on the continent, suggesting that he would relish an opportunity to coach in Africa again.
Renard, who won the 2012 and 2015 African Cup of Nations with Zambia and Cote d’Ivoire respectively, vacated his post in charge of Morocco’s Atlas Lions after a disappointing round of 16 exit to Benin at the 2019 AFCON.
But Renard who is now in charge of Saudi Arabia, welcomed another stint on the continent to which he has a longstanding attachment.
“I have a new challenge with Saudi Arabia and that is my focus. But of course I will come back to Africa one day to win something with a country, one that hasn’t won the AFCON for a very long time.
Sharing the formula for his AFCON success, Renard attributed his feat in African football to hard work and luck.
“I was a bit lucky but I also worked hard. It’s strange to have won the AFCON with two completely different teams.
“Luck plays a part in football but you have to provoke the luck. You build the luck. You have to build everything in football. If you don’t have good discipline, a good squad, a good bench, you can’t achieve that. For a tournament like the AFCON, it can be won from the bench because as a coach you sometimes have to understand things that players don’t.
BY NANA BENTSI ODURO
A little over six weeks ago, everything pointed to a Medeama SC coronation as 2025/26 Ghana Premier League (GPL) champions at the end of the season.
That sounds premature, considering the fact that there were close to about 15 matches before the curtain was drawn on the competition.
However, believers of that assumption were right with that call due to Medeama’s form and doughty-character.
Medeama has been fearless this season. They have been ruthless, sharp, composed and a very formidable opposition, dealing with what their opponents throw at them.
In fact, establishing a 17-game unbeaten run speaks volumes of the quality Medeama has shown this season.
Two people have been key in this transformational story – Coach Ibrahim Tanko and playmaker, Salim Adams.
As of Week 21, Medeama SC opened a yawning seven-point gap with 43 points, leading Aduana FC, Hearts of Oak and Gold Stars, all with 36 points without any indication of slowing down.
But the story has completely changed just four matches after, with Medeama currently occupying the top spot with a slim one point.
Worse of all is the failure to record a win in their last five games in the competition, surviving at the top with unfavourable results of their closest competitors.
That winless run has seen Medeama drawn in three games against Samartex FC, Aduana FC and Swedru All Blacks, and lost to Nations FC and Hohoe United.
The nature of the defeat to Hohoe United generated controversy among those who won’t accept that a penalty miss and an erratic clearance by goalkeeper Felix Kyei that gifted the Voltarians the winning goal were genuine errors.
Their recent falters should have been pleasant opportunities for second-placed Gold Stars, and Hearts of Oak to capture reins at the top, but strangely, they suffered challenges of their own; leaving Medeama hanging at the top.
These dynamics are beginning to paint a positive picture for the competition as clubs at the top fight for more points to take pole positions, wrest with strugglers who are also battling hard for survival.
Outside of the top three, with chances of assuming the top spot if the Medeama form does not see any improvement, are Karela United and Asante Kotoko.
Despite their struggles, they have an outside chance of joining the battle at the top with nine matches to go.
At this stage of the competition, the pressure will be on Coach Ibrahim Tanko and his Medeama charges. Having ‘bottled’ a seven-point gap to a single point, it is surely theirs to lose.
Tanko, in previous interviews, has parried questions over the pressure on him and the team, but their current predicament leaves much to be desired.
The next two months would witness intense battle at both ends of the table with as many as five clubs having reason to contest for the ultimate, with about the same number set for the late drama to escape the last two slots to join Eleven Wonders, who are the surest bet for demotion.
By Andrew Nortey
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A step closer to glory awaits six Ghana Premier League (GPL) club sides and two Division One clubs as they battle for spots at the semi-finals stage of the 2025-26 MTN FA Cup this weekend at the Cape Coast Stadium and the Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park in Bechem.
Dreams FC, the 2022-2023 champions, will clash with Heart of Lions in the quarter-finals at the Cape Coast Stadium tomorrow at pm.
Heart of Lions are going through a difficult spell in the league, having lost ground on their title aspirations that started brightly.
Dreams FC thrashed Lions 3-0 in the reverse fixture of the GPL game in January after losing 1-0 in the first round tie, and tomorrow’s game comes in to settle the scores between the two sides this season.
Although struggling, Lions lie two places above Dreams’ 12th position on the league log and will look to take that inspiration into the game.
The day’s other game will see two-time champions Medeama SC battle Access Bank Division One League (DOL) Zone Three side Attram De Visser at the same venue at 7pm.
The GPL leaders Medeama SC are in the chase for a double this season and will chase a win to appease their fans.
After defeating Asante Kotoko 4-2 on penalties in the Round of 16, Aduana FC will seek to account for Access Bank DOL Zone One B campaigners, Techiman Liberty Youth, today.
Aduana FC are in the hunt for a double this season as they are currently third on the GPL table, trailing leaders Medeama SC with five points.
Having been decisive in matches against Nsuatre FC, Victory Club Warriors and Real Tamale United to get this far, the best in the annals of the club’s history, coach Ezekiel Nii Yeboah of Liberty Youth would be out to cause an upset.
At the Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park in Bechem tomorrow, another interesting pairing is set to play out as the all-Premier League affair between Nations FC and Berekum Chelsea takes centre stage.
By Raymond Ackumey
