Personal physio for Essien, Kevin
After several weeks of haggling and negotiations, Black Stars midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng, appears to have held sway over the collective will of the handlers of the Stars with the acceptance of his personal physiotherapist Hagen Stroh, by the technical team of Ghana for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
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The German physiotherapist, according to Ghana Football Association (GFA) sources, is being considered in a compromised deal as an additional technical staff of the national team, after the AC Milan duo of Michael Essien and Sulley Muntari had requested that their personal physiotherapists also be included in Kwasi Appiah’s backroom staff for the World Cup.
The arrangement was reached following a meeting by Coach Appiah, Essien and Muntari who agreed to work with the German in place of their personal physios.
He will be expected to work alongside the team’s regular physiotherapist, Col. Ofosu Anim, in Appiah’s technical team.
Stroh has been associated Boateng for sometime now and was a familiar face in the Stars camp when the Schalke 04 midfielder made a return to international football late last year.
Indeed, the two reportedly flew together from Germany to Ghana when Boateng was invited for the World Cup qualifier against Zambia and Stroh was said to have lodged with the team at the Golden Tulip Kumasi City.
Again, the physiotherapist travelled with the player to Istanbul when Ghana set up a training camp in the Turkish capital ahead of the return leg playoff with the Pharaohs of Egypt in Cairo and was on the bench to keep an eye on his client during the November 18 clash at the Military Stadium in Cairo.
His services, according to the source, have been funded personally by Boateng.
However, the arrangement would be different during the world Cup in Brazil, as the Ghana government this time would take care of Stroh’s expenses, including his per diem allowance, hotel accommodation and other, incentives.
