Accra, Dec 5 (IANS): Ghana officially unveiled former Chelsea manager Avram Grant as the new coach for the national football team, called the Black Stars, for a two-year renewable period.

The former Chelsea coach has been handed a two-year deal that will run from Dec 1 till Feb 27, 2017, reports Xinhua.

The 59-year-old Israeli replaced Kwasi Appiah, who parted ways with the Football Association last September after leading the Black Stars to fourth place at the 2013 AFCON and a first round exit at the World Cup in Brazil.

Introducing Grant at a well-attended ceremony, FA Vice-President Fred Thursday night expressed the hope that the new coach would succeed since he was the best suited for the position.

Crentsil said Grant had the traits to bring Ghana football in pole position at the world stage once more.

"These were the traits that we were looking for and these were the traits that we found in him ahead of all the other applicants and that was the reason why we selected him for this particular job," he said.

Grant held a string of management positions in his native Israel, including four years as coach of the national side.

The former West Ham United manager said his ambition for Ghana was long-term and would do everything he could to make the Black Stars team succeed.

Grant has only six weeks to prepare the Black Stars for the AFCON in Equatorial Guinea which will be held from Jan 17 to Feb 8.

Ghana has been drawn in Group C alongside Senegal, South Africa and Algeria - a group which has been described as the "Group of Death".

"We will do everything to win every game because, at the end of the day as a coach, I want to win every game even if I know it is not possible.

"So, I think the most important thing is that really willing to do well and to take the future of this country by the football side before they lose the potential," said Grant.