Ethiopia withdraw appointment of ex-Ghana coach Barreto, set sights on ex-Black Stars trainer Stevanovic

Published on: 08 April 2014
Ethiopia withdraw appointment of ex-Ghana coach Barreto, set sights on ex-Black Stars trainer Stevanovic
Goran Stevanovic left in the clear for Ethiopian job

By Ameenu Shardow

Follow on Twitter @alooameenu

Ethiopia have rescinded their decision to hand over the national team job to ex Ghana coach Mariano Barreto and are rather looking to give the job to Goran Stevanovic.

The Portuguese trainer was handed the job last week after emerging the undisputed choice of the Ethiopian FA from a five-man shortlist.

The EFF have however withdrawn the appointment – claiming their background checks with the Ghana FA left Barreto in bad standing for the post and will now be looking to hand the job to another former Ghana coach Goran Stevanovic.

“As a federation before we settle on a coach we do our investigations and after talking to the Ghana FA we found out that Mariano Barreto is not the suitable candidate for the top job,” Ethiopian FA President Junedine Basha told SuperSport.

“The media was in a hurry to report on the appointment and yet we had not made a decision as the federation.

"In our pursuit to get the best coach we have settled on former Ghana coach Goran Stevanovic from Serbia but we have had problems of us communicating with the coach.

“We will send him an invitation today so that he can come to Ethiopia we discuss modalities of employment and also his salary.”

Barreto left his post as Ghana coach unceremoniously in the opening stages of the 2006 World Cup qualifiers in 2004.

It later appeared that the Portuguese trainer quit the Black Stars post to chase a more lucrative job in his homeland with CS Maritimo without informing officials of the Ghana FA.

This unprofessional act is suspected to be the reason behind the Ethiopian FA withdrew Barreto’s appointment after conferring with officials of the Ghana FA.

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