Lack of Ambition

Claude Le Roy coached the Black Stars in the African Cup of Nations. Despite failing he stayed on. After a review he was offered a new contract. He stalled on whether to sign. In May, rather than take the Black Stars to Africa's World Cup, he quit. Why? To go to coach that giant of world football - Oman. What does he hope to achieve there except swell his bank account?

I think as fans of football we often forget something quite fundamental when we criticise players and managers for doing something that we think we wouldn't do.

To the people who are players and managers it is a job. And if you get offered the same job in another place for more money chances are you would consider it. This applies especially if you have problems in your current job that you cannot overcome and you do not have other ties to the club such as being a fan.

As in the example we see with cronaldo now. Manu fans think he is a c**t for wanting to move to Madrid but there's no real problem with wanting to move to a bigger club and get paid more money.

True, but success allows you to raise the price. Le Roy has more chance of success with Ghana than Oman, especially in South Africa. Then he can raise his price and earn more. Secondly he may not get the chance to stay in Oman too long as unless there is a plan there it will not develop and a bad campaign in the Asian Cup means the sack and a step down. Look at Vogts. Taking the wrong job affects your earning power too.

EMP wrote:True, but success allows you to raise the price. Le Roy has more chance of success with Ghana than Oman, especially in South Africa. Then he can raise his price and earn more. Secondly he may not get the chance to stay in Oman too long as unless there is a plan there it will not develop and a bad campaign in the Asian Cup means the sack and a step down. Look at Vogts. Taking the wrong job affects your earning power too.

he's 60, so he's hardly climbing the ladder

he has probably already coached at the highest level he was ever going to, now he wants some money for his retirement, same as many footballers who end up there

Up to a point, but after World Cup he would be 62 with a better chance of a bigger pay-off. If Ghana qualified well for South Africa and did well and they should, he would have got a far bigger retirement payout and looked better in process. An Arab club team would be just as good - probably less pressure, better budget and better players too. His choice, but I think he could have done better and after the way he made out he would stay I think he let Ghana down. The Ghanaian FA stood by him when there were calls for his head. A few months later he resigns. I think it is poor show.

There could be other things going on behind the scenes in ghana, such as people wanting him out, and him not thinking it was worth the hassle at this stage in his life etc.

If he was successful with ghana, would he then move to another african team? Seems like his expertise might be in a targetted field, so he's not going to get offered the next England job, or any top club jobs.

So a year or two in Oman without too much strees and maybe a million euro tax free sounds like a sweet deal. Should be enough to retire on.