Premier League giants Arsenal disown coach

Premier League giants Arsenal say they are "concerned" that former Hereford United consultant Mark Ellis might be misrepresenting his association with them.

This follows a New Vision story last month that depicted him as a former Arsenal coach who was set to conduct an international coaching course in the country in association with Pemba Sports Africa.

At a function where Pemba Sports Africa presented balls and training equipment to Rainbow International School, Ellis trained with the children of the school, arguing that there was need to start at the grass roots and put the right systems in place.

Ellis claims to have over 26 years' history of coaching youth football with West Ham, Bournemouth, and Sheffield Wednesday and recently with some players on the Zambian CHAN team.

"For me this is great insight and foresight for what will go on in future. We are trying to implement a philosophy on how to teach the game to children properly and tweaking the coaches' abilities on how to pass on this, because knowledge is power," Ellis said at Rainbow.

But a UK Publication, Hereford Times (www.herefordtimes.com) quotes Arsenal as saying that Ellis did not have any role with them since he was a part-time coach at the academy in 2002.

"Ellis pitched up at Hereford United in the summer of 2014 alongside Tommy Agombar and claimed credit for promotions achieved by AFC Bournemouth, Sheffield Wednesday and QPR," the publication states.

"He added that "he knew all the best players" and was "laying the foundations for success" at the Edgar Street club.

"But Sheffield Wednesday and QPR both confirmed that he was only a scout, with Wednesday adding that he only had an "expenses only deal" at the club".

"Ellis has already been issued with a "cease and desist letter" by Arsenal and he has been informed that the club will take further legal action if his alleged behaviour does not stop," Hereford Times wrote.

The purported coaching clinic in conjunction with FUFA is also in the balance as it is not among activities listed on their calendar.

"The technical director under whose docket such programs fall is not aware of the clinic, though such initiatives are welcome," FUFA Spokesman Ahmed Hussein said.