James Francis: British tactician confident with Accra Lions season despite early FA Cup exit
Head coach of Accra Lions, James Francis is confident of a turnaround in the ongoing campaign after the team’s early exit from the FA Cup.
Accra Lions lost to Hearts of Oak for the second time in a week after a 1-0 defeat in the FA Cup on Wednesday. Before that game, Hearts run a 2-0 show over their rivals at the Cape Coast Stadium in the Ghana Premier League in Sunday night football.
The newly promoted side have struggled in the Ghana Premier League since, winning 2, drew 2 and lost 5 of the 9 games so far living them in relegation zone (16th position in 18-team league).
And despite struggles in their maiden season, James Francis is optimistic of surviving relegation to Division One where they came from last season.
“No, it’s definitely not, we decided to build a team in a great way,” he told Africa-Foot.
“You could see by the performances of play, we outplayed our opponents [Hearts of Oak], we created the chances against them.
“As I said before, we attack as a team, we defend as a team, we win as a team.
“We will carry on working, creating the chances and make the corrections and then we will come.
“We just need time and the boys will come up,” he concluded.
Francis talk is not just for the media sake after helping his side play some decent piece of football in the Ghanaian top flight. Arguably, Accra Lions is the best Premier League team in terms of keeping the ball in ease manner.
They are able to start, keep possession and create nice opportunities in front of goal but maturity up front that will lead to the goalscoring is what they lack now.
They gave Hearts of Oak a good game both in the Ghana Premier League and FA Cup. Should have Accra Lions converted their chances, they would have carry the day because they created more better chances than Hearts of Oak who eventually won they game.
Thanks to Kofi Kordzi who opened the score and Afriyie Barnieh added the second to complete Hearts second victory of the second after initial struggle in the league and African campaign.
With Hearts of Oak appearing another better opposition to keep the ball better, Accra Lions outplayed the Ghana Premier League champions at Cape Coast last Sunday.
At a time, Hearts were made to draw back into their box- something their opponents have failed achieve against them in the current campaign.
If Accra Lions could enter into the second round market which opens January for experience reinforcements, James Francis’ vision will be a reality, and perhaps, clubs within Ghana and across Africa will be chasing his players.
And that will also put him (Francis) on the larger transfer market scale for a bigger chase of his signature.
