Ghana manager Avram Grant expressed his displeasure over the lack of funding for his team, saying the current financial crisis could affect their chances in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers. The Black Stars will launch their qualifying campaign with a game against Uganda in the group opener next month. Ghana were drawn in group G alongside Egypt, Congo and Uganda, but the former Chelsea boss is not optimistic regarding his side's chances. "The recent lack of funding from the ministry is affecting my job as the coach of the Black Stars," Grand was quoted as saying by Ghana soccernet on Monday. Ghana's sports minister had refused to allow his cash-strapped ministry to pay for the plane tickets of the team's foreign-based players who played in Saturday's clash against Rwanda in the final round of the Nations Cup qualifiers. The ministry asked the Ghanaian federation to play the game with a local-based squad as the team already qualified for the continental tournament. The decision was heavily criticised by Grant and his players, who decided to buy their own tickets so they can play the game. Grant also criticised the managers of Accra Stadium, who did not comply to his order to water the pitch because there was no money for fuel to operate the water pumping machinery. "The pitch is one of the worse I have seen. If we want the best from our players we must give them the necessary tools to get the best out of them."
