Wednesday, 04 April 2012 00:00
BY DUN OKINYO AND AGENCIES
Financer of Ghana’s King Faisal Babes goes to police after Croatian signs with Kenyan club
Gor
Mahia’s newly signed Croatian coach Zdravko Logarusic is apparently a
wanted man in Ghana. The Croatian has allegedly been reported to
Ghanaian police by the financer of the Kumasi-based King Faisal Babes
for deceit. A report in the official Ghana website says the bank roller
of the First Division outfit Alhaji Karim Grusah has reported Logarusic
to the police for what he describes as deceit after the team brought him
down to Ghana to coach the club but found out later that the man used
the opportunity to sign for the former Kenyan champions Gor Mahia.
The
Croatian had been in Kumasi since March 20 and even trained the team on
Tuesday March 27, before he suddenly left Ghana without notice.
According to Alhaji Grunsah, who spoke on Kumasi-based radio station FOX
FM, all terms and conditions of service were agreed with Logarusic. He
added that King Faisal bore the cost of his air fare and temporary
accommodation which according to him, the coach should refund if he has
decided not to join the Faisal Babies.
The club’s boss Vincent
Soah said the Croatian returned to Ghana after having been released by
Ashanti Gold FC last year. “Faisal brought him to the country and paid
for his expenses which included airfare and accommodation. We will
report to the Ghana Football Association and Fifa and seek advice as we
move forward because apart from cost in terms of flight and hotels,
there is an opportunity cost as well,” Soah said. “We had other coaches
on the radar but we went for him. Although he didn’t put pen to paper,
there was ample evidence that he was working for King Faisal.
We’ll
report his conduct to the FA and also seek legal advice as to how to
get some remedies from that. To walk away unceremoniously leave us in
the lurch in not acceptable. There is also the issue of Fifa to look
at.” King Faisal are struggling in the National Division One League and
risk being relegated to Ghana’s third-tier league. But Gor Mahia
secretary general George Bwana said, Logarusic had not signed a contract
with Faisal and that is why he opted to join Gor. “It’s true that they
brought him to Ghana to but their was nothing binding and that is why he
opted to join Gor when we approached him with a better contract. Had he
signed for them and later on signed with us then that would have been a
different story but as it is Logarusic has not committed any offense,”
Bwana said.
Logarusic managed King Faisal for two years from 2009
before returning to Croatia. He returned to Ghana to take over the
Ashanti Gold job last year. He received widespread praise when he
rescued King Faisal from relegation in 2010 and guided them to an
11-match unbeaten streak. The following season he took over Ashanti Gold
after the team had finished runners up the previous season but failed
to steer the team to great heights.