Confusion surrounds Ghana football this morning, as GHANAWEB can reveal that the controversial FIFA player agent Lucidio Ribeiro has misled the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports Ministry and the Ghana Football Association into signing a physical trainer as the head coach of the Black Stars and the Black Meteors.

Mr Rashid Bawa, Minister of State at the Education, Youth and Sports Ministry together with Mr Ben Koufie, Chairman of the Ghana Football Association struck the deal two weeks ago in Algeria, which would tie the Portuguese Mariano Jeronimo Barreto to Ghana till 2006.

Investigations conducted by GHANAWEB indicate that Barreto was signed by the Russian first division Lokomotiv Moscow in April 2003 to supervise the fitness level of players. He was signed to help headcoach Yuri P. Semin and his assistant Vladimir Kh. Eshtrekov.

Meanwhile the claim by Barreto that he was as an assistant coach at Borussia Dortmund has been debunked by German soccer federation’s officer in charge of licensing of coaches, Mr. Weidner. It has been revealed by SOCCER EXPRESS that Barreto was the physical trainer of the Portuguese player Poalo Sousa of Borussia Dortmund.

Meanwhile Lucidio Ribeiro the agent who brokered the deal and witnessed the signing of the agreement between the Ghana Football Association and Barreto is no stranger to financial controversy as far as African national teams are concerned.

Ribeiro’s financial dealings were behind the strike which kept the Indomitable Lions in Paris for two days after they were due to fly to Japan for the 2002 World Cup, according to the Cameroon newspaper La Nouvelle Expression.

According to the paper, the players took action because they felt the FIFA agent had denied them a share in the profits from two of their pre-World Cup friendlies, against Argentina in Geneva and Denmark. Ribeiro allegedly collected $75,000 in Geneva, where the Argentina game took place, and $100,000 in Vienna. Informed of the strike in Paris, Youth and Sports Minister Bidoung Mpkatt travelled to France, where he met with the players to try and resolve the problem.

Ghana's New Coach Is A Physical Trainer - SoccerExpress

There are disturbing indications that incoming national soccer coach; Mariano Jeronimo Barreto is a specialist in physical training than the real art of football coaching.

More disturbing are clear misrepresentations the 46-year-old Portuguese professor detailed in his official curriculum vitae presented to the Ghana Football Association.

Extensive Soccer Express investigations throughout the week in Germany, Russia and Portugal have revealed that Barreto in his haste to clinch the Stars job was more than eager to spice up his CV to impress unsuspecting Ghana.

While initial news reports had it that Mariano was de facto assistant coach of Russian club, Lokomotiv Moscow, Soccer Express can confirm that he was directly in charge of physical training at Lokomotiv Moscow. The de facto assistant coach of the club is Vladimir Eshtrekov with Yuri Semin as head coach.

Equally very disturbing is the revelation that even though the Portuguese says he was once an assistant coach and physical trainer at Borussia Dortmund, he never was. The closest Barreto has come to the Bundesliga side was when he served as a physical trainer and translator for Portuguese star, Paulo Von Soussa.

German soccer federation (DFB) officer in charge of licensing of coaches, Mr. Weidner said he had never heard of Barreto when Soccer Express spoke to him in Frankfurt yesterday. His worst fears were confirmed when Petra St?ker of Borussia Dortmund in response to a Soccer Express query confirmed that Barreto was the personal trainer of Soussa.

Soccer Express investigations did not encounter one instance when Barreto had been head coach of any significant football entity and the assertion in his CV that he was the Chief Coach of Alverca in Portugal between 1999 and 2001 is a figment of his wildest imagination.

Carlos Pereira and Vitor Manuel handled those positions according the Alverca club web site and not to confuse issues, the same site mentions Mariano as Physical Preparador.

Professor Jeronimo Mariano has a huge wealth of experience in education having directed the Lisbon College, been coordinator of sports and physical preparation at the Lisbon University and instructor of several professional courses for the Portuguese Ministry of Education.

But Barreto’s claim to fame no doubt is physical education and training and he has been recognised as such wherever he has worked.

The Ghana Football Association when contacted yesterday remained tight-lipped on the issue. General Secretary Kofi Nsiah said his Chairman has not briefed him since he met Barreto in France prior to the Olympic qualifier between the Black Meteors and the Atlas Lions in Algiers on January 2.
No management meeting has been held since the Barreto issue came up and other FA officials contacted on the issue were as blank as the General Secretary on the matter.
Soccer Express is reliably informed that having caught wind of the questions surrounding Barreto the association sent a query to the Federacao Portuguese de Futebol on the status of Barreto.
A short response dated yesterday and signed by Vice President Carlos Silva, a copy of which is in this paper’s possession stated "Prof. Mariano Jeronimo Barreto…is qualified, competent and honest to perform the duties of a coach…"

It is the norm for most European physical trainers to obtain coaching certificates especially if they wish to ply their trade internationally and though several physical trainers have advanced to full time coaches it is queer that Barreto will be using the Ghana national coach job as his first call to the head coach class.

The official website of the Union of European Football Associations, www.uefa.com gave a fairy tale angle to Barreto’s appointment when it described his appointment as "dream come true." This is what it had to say:

‘"Finally, FC Lokomotiv Moskva’s fitness coach, Mariano Barreto, is also contemplating a new start after being appointed coach of the Ghana national team. "I always dreamed of becoming a head coach," he said. "The success of Lokomotiv is the reason why I was invited to Ghana. They have a good national side which can achieve a lot."’

Barreto arrives in Ghana on Tuesday, the same day FA Chairman Ben Koufie is scheduled to travel to Tunis ahead of the African Cup of Nations tournament. His General Secretary, Kofi Nsiah may also travel on Sunday. It is not known which of the remaining management members, Messrs, Owusu Ansah, Sylvester Mensah, Abedi Pele and Yaw La Danso Addo would be responsible for babysitting the Professor when he arrives.

Soccer Express is meanwhile investigating claims there were more qualified applicants who were sidestepped without much courtesy, for Professor Jeronimo Barreto.

KURT ODEGHAMI FORMERLY OF RADIO GOLD

Reports reaching this writer have revealed that Ghanaians have been deceived into believing that we have been given a top-notch coach by the FA. Contrary to this new leads point to the fact that Mr. Barreto is only a physical trainer and not a coach.

Watch these lines for the shocking revelations that could make people loose their jobs. Investigations has taken us to Germany, Portugal and Russia