Jonathan Wilson
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The Ghana coach believes mentality is key to sporting success and is working to instil a winning one as they chase success in the Africa Cup of Nations
Avram Grant knew he was going to get pelted with bottles and other missiles, but he walked out of the tunnel anyway, leading his Ghana team through the barrage. Getting off the pitch at half-time in the Cup of Nations semi-final two years ago had been hard enough; getting back on for the second half, through a Malabo crowd that had come to the abrupt realisation that (at least until they brought in a helicopter midway through the second half) a police force that had repressed it for years was all but powerless in the face of mass dissent, was far harder.
Walking out first, overtly demonstrating leadership, was a conscious decision by the former Chelsea manager. “Sometimes you need to show them,” he says. “Because the atmosphere … my assistant said to me: ‘I’m not going. There’s too many stones around.’ I said: ‘Don’t worry, nothing will happen.’ But I didn’t know … the helicopter that was right over my head. It was crazy. But we won, so it’s good.”
Related: The Joy of Six: Africa Cup of Nations memorable moments
Related: Avram Grant ordered to return to work in Ghana by unhappy federation
Related: Morocco's Rachid Alioui puts holders Ivory Coast out of Africa Cup of Nations
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Avram Grant knew he was going to get pelted with bottles and other missiles, but he walked out of the tunnel anyway, leading his Ghana team through the barrage. Getting off the pitch at half-time in the Cup of Nations semi-final two years ago had been hard enough; getting back on for the second half, through a Malabo crowd that had come to the abrupt realisation that (at least until they brought in a helicopter midway through the second half) a police force that had repressed it for years was all but powerless in the face of mass dissent, was far harder.
Walking out first, overtly demonstrating leadership, was a conscious decision by the former Chelsea manager. “Sometimes you need to show them,” he says. “Because the atmosphere … my assistant said to me: ‘I’m not going. There’s too many stones around.’ I said: ‘Don’t worry, nothing will happen.’ But I didn’t know … the helicopter that was right over my head. It was crazy. But we won, so it’s good.”
Related: The Joy of Six: Africa Cup of Nations memorable moments
Related: Avram Grant ordered to return to work in Ghana by unhappy federation
Related: Morocco's Rachid Alioui puts holders Ivory Coast out of Africa Cup of Nations
Continue reading...
More...