Digital JUNE 4, 2020

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DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH
THURSDAY , JUNE 4, 2020
It is easy to coach Hearts,
Kotoko
• Mohammed Gargo
EX-BLACK STARS
player Mohammed
Gargo has made a
tough claim that
coaching Hearts and
Kotoko is an "easy"
task for every good manager.
Many coaches have had their
contracts terminated at Kotoko
and Hearts due to both internal
and external pressures.
But Gargo, who played and
coached Real Tamale United,
says he believes there is more
pressure in managing the smaller
clubs than what pertains at
Hearts and Kotoko.
In an interview with Kumasibased
Akoma FM, Gargo expressed
his readiness to handle
any of the two most glamorous
clubs of the country if the
chance arose.
"It is easy to coach Ghana's
Mohammed Gargo
two biggest clubs -- Hearts and
Kotoko," he said.
"Many will talk about pressure
but it comes with the job as
a coach.
"What pressure is more than
that of Ashantigold and Real
Tamale United?
Believe me, if I have good
players in my team, you will
enjoy my work as a coach."
Gargo, who now coaches in
Namibia, was part of the triumphant
Italia 91 Black Starlet
team that won Gold against
Spain in the grand finale.
He rose through the ranks to
break his way through the Blacks
Stars squad of Senegal 92 under
German tactician Coach Otto
Pfister, making his debut in
Ghana's opening match against
Zambia in that tournament.
He was also part of the history
making Black Meteors, who
won Bronze at Barcelona 92
Olympics.
He is well remembered for his
thunderbolt strike against
Tunisia in the Burkina 98 Afcon,
a match the Black Stars won by
2-0.
The 44-year-old spent most
of his club football time in Italy,
playing for Torino, Udinese,
Venezia and on loan to Genoa.
In the twilight of his career,
the well-built Bissa man moved
to Qatar, where he played for Al
Wakrah Sports Club before returning
to play for Ghana's
Ashanti Gold in a short stint.
Gargo, who currently coaches
Tura Magic FC of Namibia, had
previously managed Ghanaian
sides New Edubiase FC and
Brong Ahafo United.
Missing out on Africa best award
and European football is my
greatest regret
• Mohammed Polo says
FORMER
Mohammed Polo
GHANA international
and
1978 Africa Cup
of Nations winner,
Mohammed
Polo, has revealed that his inability
to win Africa Footballer
of the Year and not
playing for any European
club is something he regrets.
Polo, popularly known in
football circles as the ‘Dribbling
magician’ and a superstar
during his playing days,
has said his failure to win the
African best and not playing
in Europe still hurts him.
“As a former player, the
only thing I regret is my inability
to play for any club in
Europe. It hurts me I
couldn’t prove to the Europeans
that there is a player of
that stature.
“The truth is that Ghanaians
didn’t sell me well because
I should have won the
African best award about two
or three times looking at my
performance those days. It’s
a worry I couldn’t win the
African best but God knows
best.
“I have been third, fourth
on the African best list but at
some point in time, they pull
strings. Favoritism and lobbying
is something that normally
happens when naming
African best. I didn’t win it
because I had no one to
lobby for me,” he told
Kofridua-based Bryt FM.
I quit playing for Black Stars
because of corrupt GFA
• Ex-Black Stars player reveals
FORMER BORUSSIA Dortmund
starlet Bashiru Gambo has made a
shocking revelation on how he took
a personal decision to quit playing
for the Black Stars.
The 41-year-old, who featured
for seven different German clubs
and was valued at €500,000 in 2005,
was capped only four times by the
West African powerhouse.
Gambo, a former King Faisal
youngster, has revealed former
Everton forward and Nigeria international
Yakubu Aiyegbeni hinted
him the Nigerian government had
paid the Ghanaian football regulatory
body a hefty sum of $700,000
to participate in the inauguration of
Abuja international stadium in
Nigeria in the year 2000.
During an interview with Don
Summer on Angel FM, the onetime
powerful offensive midfielder
claimed players who featured in that
tournament earned nothing and the
revelation got him to quit the national
team.
“Due to my performance at club
level, I got friends from Nigeria.
Yakubu Aiyegbeni was my closest
friend then so during the tournament
I decided to pass the night at
his place and it was through him
that I realized the FA was using us
for their personal gains,” he revealed.
“Whiles in the room, I had some
conversations with Yakubu. I told
him their governor had given the
FA $70,000 as participation fee. As
soon as I said that, he made it
known that the governor gave
Ghana $700,000 which means the
players were fooled,” Gambo
added.
“After that unscrupulous behaviour
on the part of the FA, when I
got to my club in Germany, I wrote
letters to Alhaji Jawula, Oheneba
Charles and E.T Mensah that they
shouldn’t hand me a call-up again.
So I personally quit the national
team because of lack of transparency,”
he concluded.
• Former Ghana international
Bashiru Gambo