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24.10.2003 Sports News

Rugby Coach’s Job On The Line?

24.10.2003 LISTEN
By Graphic

The Technical Director of the national rugby team, Mr Guy Charley who has been out of the country for barely three weeks now, may lose his position if he does not return to post before the end of October.

The expectation that coach Charley would lead the Golden Stars to the just-ended Mali Cup of Nations became a nightmare when he failed to return to the country from his alleged trip to France.

The Camerounian coach is said to have left the team and its officials in the cold a week before their departure to Mali to undertake their major international assignment, forcing the players to take their destiny into their own hands to survive the games.

According to a source within the GRA, coach Charley left Ghana for France purposely to seek for sponsorship to adequately prepare the rugby team for the Mali games.

But for reasons best known to the coach who was expected to spend only three days on that mission, he has since not returned.

The source declared that it will not be a surprise if the coach decides to finally throw in the towel and leave his post.

It explained that since Mr Charley began flirting with the rugby team, he had never had a feel of a monthly salary. In an interview with the president of the GRA, Ms Gifty E. Annan-Myers, she confirmed the story but was very optimistic that the coach would come back to continue his work.

“ Charley has brought the team too far to bow out this way, he is yet to reap the fruits of the seed that he nursed after which we could honourably bid him farewell in case he is not satisfied with the treatment here”, the confident president added.

She said, at the time the coach was engaged he was made aware of the financial difficulties that existed in the association and for that matter the contract between the two parties (GRA & the coach) was on the basis that the coach would be paid when the association secures financial assistance from the government and, perhaps, benevolent organizations.

“Fortunately, the government has taken our budget for next year so that we could start paying him. It will be very sad if Charley should leave”, she lamented.

The president revealed to the Graphic Sports that before the team emplaned to Mali for the competition she called the coach through phone to enquire from him if he could join the team, but to her disappointment he said it was not possible for him to come at that time because he had some family problems to settle.

She, however, said if the coach fails to honour his promise before this month ends, then they will have to fall on another coach through the assistance of the International Rugby Board (IRB) which has pledged to furnish the GRA with a South African coach whenever the need arises.

Ms Annan-Myers, therefore, expressed the hope that Mr Guy Charley would return to the country sooner than later to avoid any action that might inconvenience both the rugby association and the coach.

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