GFA Technical Director Confirms Avram Grant's Stay

GFA official Oti Akenteng has dispelled rumours that the Black Stars' coach is about to be sacked

Technical director of Ghana Football Association Francis Oti Akenteng has refuted speculations about Avram Grant's imminent exit due to recent poor results.

The Black Stars coach's future has been thrown in doubt after he failed to lead the team to victory in their last five matches in all competitions.

The four-time African champions are facing an early elimination from the 2018 Fifa World Cup group stage qualifiers after drawing and losing to Uganda and Egypt respectively.

''I think it will not be wise, honestly, if we rush into such a decision," Akenten told Empire FM.

"Why don’t we take our time, we gave the man a target, let’s see.

"The first one [Afcon 2015], he did it [by getting to the final], and we have asked him to go and win the 2017 Afcon.

"He hasn’t gone yet, and you say we have sacked him; on what basis are you sacking him?

''We are all elite people, we are all very knowledgeable and we know that the coach is under contract.

''I don’t know if we have money to be able to offset these things [possible compensations].

"Also, to go into a battle of this nature when we have an important assignment [Afcon 2017] ahead of us [is not wise]."

Two months after taking up the Ghana job in December 2014, Grant led the Black Stars to the final of the 2015 Afcon where they lost to Cote d'Ivoire on penalties.

The side will be hoping to make amends in the next Afcon to be hosted by Equatorial Guinea in January/February.

Ghana will play in Group E which also has Egypt, Uganda and Mali.