Soccer News of Thursday, 6 January 2005

Source: GNA

Schmidt passes verdict of no confidence in Tiero

Accra, Jan 6, GNA - Kumasi Asante Kotoko's head coach, Hans Dieter Schmidt has passed a verdict of no confidence in William Tiero, proposing that the striker who was on loan from Liberty Professionals return to the Dansoman-based club.

Tiero whose one-year loan with the "Porcupine Warriors" expires today, Thursday, January 6 could be on his way back to Liberty, the GNA Sports can confirm.

The German, Schmidt who left the star player out of his team in the club's Confederations Cup first leg match against Accra Hearts of Oak in Accra on Sunday has declared a complete disinterest in the services of the player.

He told the GNA Sports that " his contract is ended and I simply don't need him around the team any longer. Tiero is not needed in my plans and it is as simple as that".

The coach who had consistently questioned the player's loyalty to the club, insisted that " may be Tiero is important to the national team, but not to us".

The coach confirmed the believe that the striker spent more time with both the Black Meteors and the Black Stars than his employers when he said, " I always saw him in the camps of the national teams but whenever he had to train with us he looked for excuses with injuries".

The out of favour Tiero who enjoyed a regular place in the national teams during the reign of Portuguese coach, Mariano Barreto, however resumed training with the club this morning.

The former Liberty arrow head striker whose switch to the "Garden City", caused Kotoko a whooping 250 million cedis, the country's biggest on any loaned player, featured only four times in the last Premiership.

Though the coach would not confirm or deny rumours that the player's love for national calls aggravated the recent problems, he believes " if you don't care enough about who pays your wages, then I don't know why anybody must take you seriously".

Schmidt told the GNA Sports that, "I have a programme for whom I need and those I don't and I will soon discuss those issues with Management and the Board to make sure the right things are done". From all indications, Tiero who reportedly left camp on the eve of last Sunday's game with an injury excuse, could be training in vain as the German seems to have made up his mind with regards to dispensing with his services.