Baah’s memorable ride finally comes to an end
CAERAU Ely have parted company with manager Nana Baah with the Cardiff club struggling at the wrong end of the Nathaniel Cars Welsh League first division.
Craig Samson, who assisted Baah during his six-year stay at Cwrt-Y-Ala, will take over the reins and will be assisted by Gus Brandon, the club’s Under-19 coach.
Baah led Caerau to the Welsh League first division title in 2014 and will leave the club with a wonderful track record in his first, and so far only, managerial post.
In his first season out of the six, Baah got Caerau promoted from Division Two to the top flight.
In their first season in Division One, there was a very creditable seventhplaced finish and, after two seasons in charge, Baah built a squad ready to challenge for honours.
Dave Vincent, now at Carmarthen, was his captain and he was joined by a group of now Barry Town players including, Luke Cooper, Louis Gerrard, Tyrell Webb, Callum Sainty and Jordan Cotterill, whose potential was spotted by Baah.
Throw in the likes of Jerome Maynard, Lloyd Toghill, Andy Evans, Jamal Roberts and Rameer Outlaw and the Ely club produced the goals to win the title in a night game at Cwrt-Y-Ala against their near rivals Taffs Well, winning by 4-2 to secure the crown which a Cardiff club hadn’t won since Cardiff City in the 70s.
“That is the night I’ll remember the most during my time with this great club,” said Baah, who also fondly remember their victory parade on an open-top bus through Ely and Cardiff which seemed quirky to him at the time but now stands out as a wonderful memory of celebration.
“We deserved that title and so did the two main men behind the scenes, Mike Jones and Mark Rees, who are Caerau through and through and I couldn’t have worked with two nicer people.
“The past three seasons have seen top-half finishes, but this year has been a struggle.
“There are plenty of teams around with good finances and you can’t fight that forever.”
Baah and Caerau’s title win was almost on the same terms in the Welsh League as Claudio Ranieri with Leicester City in the Premier League.
Baah hopes to stay involved in football and his biggest hope is that his No.2 Samson performs wonders and keeps the Ely club in the top flight.
Taffs Well host Penybont tonight at Rhiw Dda to kick-off this weekend’s action.
The fixture throws up a game between two managers who played together at Haverfordwest in the Welsh Premier League more than a decade ago.
Adie Harris, the boss of the Wellmen, will look for a home victory to improve his club’s ninth position in the league, and the visitors’ boss Rhys Griffiths will look for an away victory to keep alive their outside chances of promotion as they look to catch up runaway first and second Llanelli and Haverfordwest.
Struggling Ton Pentre are on the road tomorrow and travel to high-flying Goytre where they would do well to add to their miserable total of four points from 16 games which sees them bottom of the table.
The Steelmen of Port Talbot are currently halfway in the table and they face an away trip to Monmouth Town.
In the second division, both Llantwit Major and Dinas Powys face away fixtures. Llantwit are on the road to Croesyceillog, while Dinas travel west to play Swansea West End.
In Division Three, Treharrris Athletic visit Ynysygerwn with a 7.30pm kick off this evening.
Trethomas Bluebirds travel to Panteg tomorrow afternoon. Pontyclun are on home soil and host Newport City, while an in-form Bridgend Street will look for a three-point haul at Treowen Stars to keep their promotion dreams on track.
Tomorrow also sees the quarterfinal round of the Nathaniel Cars League Cup where favourites and holders Llanelli travel to AFC Llwydcoed, Briton Ferry host Cwmbran Celtic, Pontypridd welcome Aberbargoed Buds to Treforest and STM Sports host Treflin BC at the Llanrumney University Ground.
Grange Albion, from the South Wales Alliance League, travel north tomorrow to play Mynydd Isa Spartans in the last 16 of the FA trophy.
Andrew Avery’s Black & Whites will take a full bus of support from Grangetown in a bid to reach the quarterfinals for first time in more than 20 years.