Sports minister praises Avram Grant for monitoring local league

Nii Lante Vanderpuye has hailed Black Stars coach Avram Grant for monitoring the local league insisting his presence will boost the confidence of players in the country's top-flight.

Ghana's new Minister for Youth and Sports has been an arch critic of the Israeli coach for some few weeks now since he was given the post.

Vanderpuye wanted the coach to return to the country to concentrate on his job before Africa Cup of Nations Cup qualifiers this month.

Ghana takes on Mozambique in the Africa Cup of Nations Cup qualifiers home and away on 24 March and 27 March.

The former Chelsea returned to the country two weeks ago to monitor the league in the lead up to the matches.

The Israeli has monitored players after visiting Tema, Dawu, and Accra which has impressed Vanderpuye.

"I was happy for the first time this year to have seen our National team coach at one of the matches," Minister for Youth and Sports Nii Lante Vanderpuye

"What do you think will happen to that player, when he gets to the field and he sees the Black Star coach, all of a sudden that player will be inspired for a possible selection to the national team," he added.

Grant is not the first manager of an African national side to be criticised for spending time in Europe, and many defend their stays on the grounds that it allows them to easily monitor Ghanaian players based there.

Several national players are with Premier League sides, including the Chelsea left-back Baba Rahman and Leicester’s Daniel Amartey.

Grant took over as Ghana coach in late 2014 and within months led the Black Stars to a place in the final of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations Cup where they lost to Ivory Coast on penalties.