Mr George Afriyie, the Vice - President of the GFA, who is also the chairman of the management committee of the Black Stars, yesterday told the Daily Graphic that the six-man search committee had begun its work and was in the process of completing the screening of the over 90 applications received for the vacant job.

 According to Mr Afriyie, the first screening had been done and by next week, a shortlist of either three or five persons will be released as the search process advanced in its work and promised that, the ‘job would be done by April with the announcement of a new coach for the Stars.’

 “The process is ongoing. At least we have finished the first hurdle of receiving and going through applications and by the end of next month, we should be able to name the new coach for the Stars," Mr Afriyie told the Daily Graphic.

He said the fact that so many people applied for the job, which became vacant at the end of the term of Avram Grant’s deal, was an indication that the Black Stars were still a respected team and that the due process the search committee had laid down to recruit a new coach would be followed.

 “As the committee has laid its plan down, the applications received are being scrutinised, after which there will be a shortlist, an interview and recommendation made to the Executive Committee for the final man to be chosen.

“The search committee has been given a criteria for their job, and it is the ExCo that will decide who to choose from the applicants who impress at the final interview,” Mr Afriyie, who refused to indicate his preference for a local or foreign coach, explained.

While the GFA has been very tight-lipped on the notable names among the list of applicants, sources say Tottenham Hotspot manager Harry Redknapp, ex-Brazil and Real Madrid and former Italy international, Fabrizio Ravanelli are among the applicants.

 James Kwesi Appiah, Kuuku Dadzie, Karim Abdul Razak and Bashir Hayford are the local coaches who applied.