Official: GHALCA Top 6 Clubs Revealed

By: Stephen Amos

The chairman of the Interim Management Committee of the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA), Alhaji Raji, has exclusively confirmed to Boss Sports the teams who would be competing in this year’s maiden Globacom sponsored GHALCA Top6 tournament expected to start in the first week of September.

This year’s event which is an extension of the annual Top Four tournament would see the top five clubs of the 2010/2011 premier league (Berekum Chelsea, Ashgold, Asante Kotoko, Medeama, Aduana) and the FA Cup champions, Nania FC lock horns for the coveted trophy and prize money.

“One of the reasons the then GHALCA Top4 tournament was institued was to help prepare our clubs that would represent Ghana in African club competitions and the FA Cup champions, Nania FC have shown thier intention to represent Ghana in the CAF Confederations Cup.

By this development, GHALCA decided to incorporate and extend the number of competing teams to six(6),” Alhaji Raji told Boss Sports.

“Initially, we wanted to include the defending champions Accra Hearts of Oak but realised they are not among the top five clubs of last season’s league so automatically, Aduana Stars fit the bill.”

The acting GHALCA boss disclosed his outfit is yet to decide on the exact date for the start of the competition contrary to reports of the August 28 date.

“Since the new season has been fixed to kick-off in October, we would start the Top6 competition in the first week of September and end by the third week. The teams would be grouped into two, the top two from each grouped will be drawn in the semi-finals, then the finals.”

The following top 5 clubs as per the 2010/11 glo premier league table would be competing with Nania FC : Berekum Chelsea, Ashgold, Asante Kotoko, Medeama and Aduana stars.

The Berekum Golden city park, Obuasi Len Clay, Baba Yara stadium, Essipong stadium , Accra stadium and the Sunyani Coronation park would be the host venues for the maiden GHALCA Top6 tournament.

Fabregas Says goodbye to Arsenal players

By: Stephen Amos

Cesc Fabregas has officially said goodbye to Arsenal after an eight year stint with the London based club.

The outgoing gunners captain few minutes ago said goodbye to Arsenal team at the London Colney training grounds this morning.

A source close to the Arsenal team at Friday morning's training session just revealed to BTFTK:

"Fabregas has officially said goodbye to teammates at the training grounds. He went round shaking everybody's hand with a goodbye message.

He packed all his luggage in his locker and put it in his car and left, " BTFTK's source revealed.

Fabregas is expected to sign a five-year contract with Barcelona. He was on his way to the airport, but the plan to already fly to Barcelona on Friday afternoon was changed at the last minute.

He is however likely to travel on Sunday to Barcelona and be presented on Monday as Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola doesn't want too much noise ahead of their Super Cup encounter with rivals Real Madrid on Sunday.

PLB Announce Nominees For 2010/11 Awards Night

By: Stephen Amos

Premier League Board (PLB) on Wednesday morning announced the nominees for the 2010/11 glo Premier league season awards scheduled to be staged at the State Banquet Hall on Saturday August 13 at 18.00 GMT.

The best player categories were grouped from votes cast by coaches of the various sixteen clubs that participated in the season’s championship.

However, Wa All Stars, relegated King Faisal and Real Tamale United failed to present their nominations to the organisers of the awards ceremony.

The guest of honour for this year’s event is CAF’s second Vice President, M. Almamy Kabele from Guinea.

Below are the nominees in various award categories:

Best Goalkeeper
Stephen Adams – Aduana Stars
Ernest Sowah – Berekum Chelsea
Sammy Adjei – Hearts of Oak


Best Defender
Rashid Sumaila – Abusua Dwarfs
Amos Frimpong – B.A Stars
Edward Kpodo - Berekum Chelsea


Overall Best Player
Ahmed Toure - Asante Kotoko
Emmanuel Clottey - Berekum Chelsea
Gladson Awako – Heart of Lions


Best Coach
Yusif Abubakar - Berekum Chelsea
Anthony Commey – New Edubiase
Professor Kwame Mintah - Abusua Dwarfs


Best Behaved Team/Fair Play
Liberty
All Stars


Best CEO
Dr. K.K Sarpong – Asante Kotoko
Fred Crentsil – Hearts of Oak
Obed Nana Kwame Nketia - Berekum Chelsea


Best Centre Referee
Thomas Nunoo
Seidu Bomison
Patrick Kwaku Kyeremateng



Best Assistant Referee
A.S Malik
David Laryea
Alex Anim


Nana Poku of Berekum Arsenals would pick the goal king award for scoring sixteen (16) goals. Volta Regional Football Association chairman Francis Dogbatse would receive the best Match Commissioner award.

Edward Boateng (Global Media Alliance), Alhaji Braimah popularly known as Alhaji Hearts and Sly Tetteh (Liberty) would be awarded for their special contributions to the league.

Emmanuel Offei would receive the best camera man award and there would also be an award for the best Ghana Football Association employee.

Chelsea lifted their debut trophy after securing 57 points and maintaining a 10-point gap at the top of the glo Premier League table after 30 rounds of matches.

Sadat Czechs In At Teplice

Stephen Amos/thebossfmonline.com
Ghana Black satellites Striker Sadat Karim looks set for Czech Republic’s FK Teplice.

BTFTK bumped into the striker at the Turkey’s Ataturk Airport catching a flight back to Ghana for a Czech Republic visa after being refused visa in Turkey.

The striker had been in Turkey for trials with Göztepe Spor for three weeks hoping to sign for the Turkish side but talks stalled as a result of the recent match-fixing scandal that hit the country’s football.

In July, Turkish Police released a statement stating that there was concrete evidence that 19 football matches were fixed last season in the Turkish first and second leagues. This development is set to cause the delay for the commencement of the league as investigations continue.

Sadat Karim’s German agent, Didi Wendorff however managed to secure him a deal with the striker signing a pre-contract agreement with Czech Republic’s FK Teplice on Wednesday, August 3.

“I was in Göztepe Spor but the Turkish league has this corruption scandal so it is delaying the Super league and first division. I got a team in Czech Republic top flight but they refused me visa in Turkey so I have to come Accra for it by Wednesday (August 10).”

Sadat is a registered Berekum Chelsea player but was loaned to Ashanti Gold for the second round of last season. He previously played for Real Tamale United.

Asante Kotoko's Bogdan Korak To Get The Sack?

By: Stephen Amos

Reports reaching BTFTK desk indicates an imminent sack of Asante Kotoko's Serbian trainer Bogdan Korak.

Information from the club's board meeting on Wednesday reveals the board has resolved to terminate the appointment of Bogdan Korak following a poor run of results among other reasons.

The club would pay a 3months salary as compensation to the Serbian trainer. If his speculated $5,000 monthly salary is anything to go by, the club would pay him $15,000.

Former Asante Kotoko player and current assistant, Maxwell Konadu would take in his stead.

However, a close source to the Serbian trainer has refuted these reports and claims: "Korak has only spent a half of his two seasons contract he signed with Kotoko. A clause in the contract states Kotoko are obliged to give him a 3-month notice prior termination and pay a compensation of $75,000."

51-year old Bogdan Korak arrived in Kumasi on November 13. 2010 as coach of Asante Kotoko replacing Ebo Mends who was also sacked for poor performance.

Disciplinary Committee Rains GH¢ 36,500 Fine On Kotoko

By: Stephen Amos

The Ghana Football Association Disciplinary Committee has fined Asante Kotoko 36,500 Ghana cedis (US$55,500) and handed a three match ban on Serbian trainer Bogdan Korak for boycotting the medal ceremony of the 2011 President’s Cup which saw Berekum Chelsea triumph over Kotoko on penalties.

The Disciplinary Committee summoned players and technical team of Asante Kotoko to a meeting in Accra on Tuesday, July 26 to respond to charges preferred against them.

BTFTK understands the following sanctions have been charged against the Kumasi based club by the Disciplinary Committee:

• the club is to pay GH¢ 20,000 for their action

• the 6-member technical team for the match made up of coach Bogdan Korak, his assistant, Prince Acheampong, Malik Jabir, Issa Amadu, Kofi Antwi, Dr. Kwaku Boateng are to pay GH¢ 1,000 each

• the 18 players who failed to honour the medal presentation are charged with GH¢ 500 fine each

• Coach Bogdan Korak is to serve a 3-match ban and fined GH¢1,500.

BTFTK approached Kotoko's Administration and Public Affairs Manager, Ben Nti who declined to comment on the ruling but promised a 'swift' appeal Thursday.

Disgruntled Asante Kotoko amidst what they described as unfair officiating on the part of Class 1 referee Awal Mohammed on July 1, snubbed the medal and trophy presentation in the presence of the second man of the land.

Kotoko however, wrote an unqualified apology to the vice-president John Dramani Mahama to say sorry for their actions after the game.

In what looks like a double blow for Asante Kotoko, the Accra Rep, FA and Internal Relations Director of the club, Kwame Baah-Nuako is reported to have resigned his post citing his wish to further his education as his reason for tending in his resignation.

Romanian Cioaba Aristica Takes Over At Aduana Stars

By: Stephen Amos

Immediate past Premier League Champions Aduana Stars, have signed Romania coach Cioaba Aristica few hours after officially parting ways with coach Herbert Addo.

The ‘medium English speaker‘ holds the first category trainer cards issued by Federaţia Română de Fotbal (FRF) as well as both uefa license “A” and “B” Diploma coaching certificates.

Cioaba Aristica is one of the youngest Romanian coaches who started his managerial career in the Arab countries. He boasts of good skills to discover talentented players.

At 39 years, he was the assistant coach of Costica Stefanescu who he played with as a professional footballer (Al Shoulla - Saudi Arabia) at Al Tadhamon Football Club of Kuwait in 2009.

His last job was at Jordanian club, Shabab Al-Ordon in 2010.

The coach who turns 40 years on Thursday “has signed a one-year renewable contract with the Dormaa based club”, FIFA player agent Leslie Kuku Bartels revealed to Boss Sports.

Aristica aims to trace the footsteps of highly rated coaches in the Gulf region like Elijah Balaci, Costica Stefanescu, Alexandru Moldovan.

Cioaba Aristica is expected to earn a monthly salary of $5000 and would be in Dormaa by Friday, Boss Sports gathers