Ghana’s World Cup group opponents, Australia, were sending their assistant coach Graham Arnold to spy on the Black Stars at the African Cup of Nations in Angola but he has chickened out because of safety concerns.
Arnold was due to be in Angolan enclave of Cabinda to watch the Black Stars play Togo but has withdrawn in the wake of the attack on the Togolese which killed three people.
Arnold was also scheduled to attend the tournament on a World Cup scouting mission but officials decided not to send him because of issues with security, says the Australian Football Federation (FFA).
The logistics of travelling to Cabinda, where Group B - comprising Togo Ghana, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso - is based has also conspired against the surreptitious activities of the Australians.
"We just felt it wasn't safe, but it's horrible to be proven right," said John Boultbee, the FFA's head of national teams.
"Initially, we had plans for Graham to attend Togo's game against Ghana because Ghana is in our pool at the World Cup but when we had a closer look at it we decided not to send him on security grounds.
"It was a game we felt was important to be at because Graham would have had the opportunity to assess Ghana at full strength in a competitive tournament, but not at any cost.
"The fact they were playing in this enclave was of concern as it is quite a remote area and would have required either flying there in a very small aircraft or travelling by land across the Congo, and we just thought that wasn't the right thing to ask someone to do.
“Of course, we weren't expecting anything like this to happen but when the news came through there was a little bit of relief that we hadn't sent anyone.''
Instead of travelling to Angola, Arnold flew to Manchester after last week's Asian Cup qualifying match in Kuwait, and will now study video footage of Ghana's matches in the African Cup of Nations.
Source: Ghanasoccernet.com/Ghana
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Tags:
Latest Stories
-
Mahama shouldn’t have openly directed Parliament to elect Speaker – Prof. Kwaku Asare
5 minutes -
Daily Insight for CEOs: The power of delegation – Empowering leaders within your organization
11 minutes -
Livestream: Newsfile discusses inaugurations, prisoner pardon and failed CJ petition
42 minutes -
Revisiting the forensic audit EC will increase credibility of future elections – Omane Boamah
3 hours -
Africa Food Systems Parliamentary Network urges governments to increase investment in agriculture
10 hours -
AU and partners urge youth to get involved in efforts to transform continent’s food systems
10 hours -
Fire kills 3-year-old at Asawase-Dagomba Line in Ashanti Region
11 hours -
Paskal A.B. Rois: How Mahama inspires me
11 hours -
Complete abandoned projects in Akatsi North District – Chiefs to Mahama
11 hours -
Painter and sculptor B. Acheampong turning his passion for art into profitable venture
12 hours -
Presidential lodge, RM residency in Ashanti region left to rot away
12 hours -
Herty Corgie highlights the essence of gratefulness in ‘My Gratitude’
14 hours -
ANNOUNCEMENT: Joy FM temporarily goes off air January 11
15 hours -
Yango honored with two titles at the Technovation Africa Awards 2024
15 hours -
Aowin Traditional Council declares war on illegal mining with spiritual intervention
15 hours