Soccer News of Tuesday, 2 December 2003

Source: EKOW OMAGBEMI ARTHUR

Black Star Coach In Dilemma

The head coach of the Black Stars Ralf Zumdick is in a dilemma as to whether he should return to Ghana to continue his job with his employers.

According to a source close to the German Coach, there’s too much pressure from Hamburg FC Head Coach, Toppmoller who wants Zumdick to be his assistant and this has put the Black Stars Coach in a tight corner.

Our information has it that the offer from the German Bundesliga side is more lucrative than what he is receiving from Ghana.

The Black Stars Coach who is currently in Germany is considering whether to return to Ghana because his contract with the GFA expires on December 31st and he is seriously considering if he should take up the Hamburg FC job.

It will be recalled that the GFA gave Zumdick a three months contract to prepare the Black Stars and the Black Meteors for their 2006 Nations/World cup and the Olympic Games qualifiers where he excelled with distinction.

He guided the Black Stars to qualify for group stages of the qualifiers and guiding the Black Meteors to record Ghana’s first ever victory over South Africa.As at the time of filing this report Zumdick was in talks with officials of Hamburg FC and looks more confuse than ever.

Zumdick Undecided About Hamburg Offer

SoccerExpress -- Stand-in national team coach, Ralf Zumdick says he is still undecided about whether to continue with the Ghana job if it is offered to him, or take up a lucrative offer from Bundesliga side, Hamburg.

Zumdick who has been in Germany since last week told the Soccer Express in a telephone interview that he has had time to study the offer from Hamburg and it is "mouth-watering."

But the soft-spoken German who returns to Ghana on Thursday said it is not all about money and stated that he will have to first consider what Ghana has to offer before taking a final decision on the matter.

"Things are looking positive in Ghana and the challenge of handling a national team is the challenge for any coach. It is good to work hard and see the fruits of your success as a national coach and I have to consider that very seriously," Zumdick added.

New Hamburg coach, Klaus Topmoeller invited Zumdick to be his assistant several weeks ago and the news has sent the German sports press into a frenzy, creating doubts about the ability of the German to stay in Ghana after his three-month probationary period with the national teams ends on December 31.

Zumdick says even though he has spoken to Topmoeller several times since he arrived n Germany he is yet to meet Topmoeller face to face because of the latter’s busy schedule. Zumdick has however been invited to the 1/8th final German Cup match between Bayern Munich and Hamburg in Munich tomorrow and the two friends are scheduled to meet to discuss their possible future liaison.