Avram Grant faces his defining moment

Grant came into his current job as Ghana coach on the back of a remarkable CV and active support from an under pressure football association that was still reeling from the bitter after effects of Ghana's embarrassing histrionics at the World Cup in Brazil. It is no secret that his coming into the job even received approval from certain quarters of government, a unique undertaking in the history of the appointment of a national team coach. Here was a man with the appropriate personality and achievement to lead one of the continent's most powerful national teams out of depression and infamy.

Suffice to say that overwhelming sense of hope has been replaced by ambivalence almost two years later. Grant has not been a complete disaster if you look at the real data. After all he took Ghana to the finals of an AFCON a few weeks after taking over the team and has superintended over a run that has seen the team lose just four times in 23 games. The sticking point for a lot of Ghanaian fans is the sterile football on display as well as Grant's unwillingness to immerse himself within Ghanaian culture and society.

The Israeli is not the first foreigner to coach the national team but he is surely the first to avoid being defined by it. Grant prefers an aloof posture that is an antithesis to most of his predecessors. Serbian Milovan Rajevac embraced the people and was a constant presence at football matches and social functions. Ratomir Dujkovic was no different from several others.For Grant,the constant absence from his base has stuck in the craw of many a football fan who view his preference for globetrotting under the guise of scouting with suspicion. These same fans are even less enamoured with his reticence to fully blood new talent into his existing team,a decision he has recently defended as being for the stability of the team.

All these factors have built up to a moment that Grant needs to overcome to improve his standing with his Ghanaian audience and employers. That moment comes in a crucial World Cup qualifier in Cairo against a reborn Egyptian team motivated by vengeance.

Two years ago,Ghana decimated Egypt in a World Cup qualifier by 6-1 in Kumasi and the proud Pharaohs and their millions of fans have craved an opportunity for vengeance as described by assiatant national team coach,Osama Nabih.

“Our match against Ghana is the most important in history of Egyptian football".

Grant also knows this will be the most important game he has coached in perhaps since he took Chelsea to the final of he Champions league in 2008 and lost by penalties to Manchester United.

The stakes are against him and he has to find a way to coax a performance out of a team that will be devoid of its best striker in Asamoah Gyan and a still recovering Andre Ayew, who will be playing his third match since recovering from a thigh injury in September.

The game in Alexandria is one both Grant and his employers at the football association know he cannot lose hence the accommodation of all his requests. His preferred fitness trainer, Jamie Lawrence has been flown in to assist him while the team has been camped in the lavish facilities available in the United Arab Emirates.

Simply put, Grant will not be allowed excuses if the performance and results are not to the satisfaction of demanding fans in Ghana.

A win will buy him retribution for all the months of abuse he has suffered for his perceived lack of tactics and commitment to his job.

A loss does not affect his job security with his contract bound to expire in a few months but it certainly will destroy whatever little legacy he believes he has built in Ghana. He will forever become the big name coach who was handed a star laden team and yet failed to achieve success.

Knowing Avram Grant, that will hurt more than he will ever let on. Sunday in Alexandria, he will choose his path.