Sports News of Thursday, 23 February 2017

Source: goal.com

Spanish coach Nus stranded in Ghana after Afcon

Gerard Nus Gerard Nus

Ghana, once again, failed to live up to expectations at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon and the fallouts, as you would expect, have not been pleasant.

It is almost three weeks after the tournament but Spanish coach Gerard Nus, one of three assistants to head coach Avram Grant at the tournament, still finds himself in Ghana, although his boss has returned to the UK.

“I am still here in Ghana because some [financial] terms [of my work have not been fulfilled ],” a crestfallen Nus told Goal in Accra on Wednesday.

“When you work as a human being, you expect to be paid but unfortunately at this moment, I have not been paid for the Afcon.

“That is something I’m looking forward to getting sorted out as soon as possible.”

Nus, a former backroom staffer at Liverpool under Rafael Benitez, joined Ghana purposely for the 2017 Afcon, which was his second stint following a similar role at the 2015 edition in Equatorial Guinea.

“Almost every day, I try to keep in touch with the president of the GFA [Kwesi Nyantakyi], the chairman of the Black Stars management committee [George Afriyie] and Alex Asante.

[When I speak to them], they say they are working on it, and of course I will want to believe that they are doing all they can to [resolve the situation].

“Unfortunately, there’s not been anything happening. I have not seen anything yet. I trust in them; they are nice people, I know them very well but unfortunately, I’m still in Accra.”

Nus was not the only expatriate assistant coach brought in by Grant for the tournament.

Former Sunderland and Leicester City star Jamie Lawrence was also hired. Owing to urgent personal reasons he left for the UK, leaving Nus to fight the battle of both men.

“Jamie Lawrence left yesterday [Tuesday],” Nus revealed.

“He didn’t want to leave but he had to due to personal reasons.

“All I want is to get the money that they promised.”

Nus currently works for Spanish outfit Rayo Vallecano.