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Tom Strand and Godwin Attram
Tom Strand and Godwin Attram

Strand to replace Attram as coach

Swedish coach Tom Strand could soon take over the technical direction of Accra Great Olympics in a determined bid to halt the club’s declining fortunes which has seen them languishing in the relegation zone at the 12th position of the Ghana Premier League log.

A rescue plan put together by Messrs Talal Fattal and Fadi Fattal of the Global Village Media Group (the largest individual shareholder of Olympics) for consideration by the club’s Board of Directors include the appointment of the former Medeama and Bechem United tactician, Strand, to take over as head coach from the current player-coach, Godwin Attram, strengthening of the playing body during the second transfer window, a GH¢30,000 sponsorship deal with the Melcom Group as cash bonus to motivate the players. 

Others are acquisition of a refurbished 42-seater bus to improve the team’s transportation and the organisation of a fundraising dinner in Accra next month. 

A Director of Olympics, Talal Fattal, told the Graphic Sports yesterday that after a dialogue with the players, supporters and other stakeholders in the club, it had become necessary to put forward a five-point rescue plan for consideration and approval by the Board of Directors in order to end the club’s poor performance which had seen Olympics win only one match on technical gounds and picked just seven points out of a maximum of 24.

The appointment of 36-year-old Strand, who holds a UEFA licence A, guided Medeama to win the MTN FA Cup last year, is critical to turning around Olympics’ fortunes, Mr Fattal stressed.

In fact, in an interview with the Graphic Sports last week, Attram himself admitted his job was on the line and that he was prepared to be given the sack due to the club’s poor run of results. 

“The need to appoint a new head coach for Olympics at this critical moment would breathe a new lease of life into the team with a revitalised technical direction. Hence our proposed choice of Tom Strand with current coach Godwin Attram as assistant coach cum player, is because Strand has a wealth of experience and with considerable honours to his credit, in addition to possessing special qualities for player development,” Mr Fattal explained.

“As a concerned shareholder with unprecedented stake in the club, Talal and myself have been working assiduously behind the scenes trying to find solutions for the team’s poor performance and ways to address them.”

Under the proposal, Olympics are looking to recruit new players, mainly attackers, during a special justify-your-inclusion exercise beginning next week at the St Thomas Aquinas School park in Accra, for the second transfer window which opens after the 11th week of the league.

Aside unveiling next week of a bus branded in the club’s colours, Olympics management plans to announce a special winning bonus and free shopping at Melcom to motivate the players.

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