Ghana have handed their coach Claude Le Roy a two-year contract extension, despite his own prediction he would be fired for not winning the African Cup of Nations.

Frenchman Le Roy will lead team's bid to qualify for the World Cup and Cup of Nations tournaments in 2010, the Ghana Football Association declared.

"The governing body has decided to keep faith with the coach until 2010, after having guided Ghana to bronze at the just ended African Cup of Nations," a statement said.

Le Roy had predicted in January he would be fired if he failed to steer Ghana to success on home soil.

"If we are not champions, I'm sure a new coach will come in my place," he said during the tournament.

Ghana, who lost to Cameroon in the semi-finals, beat the Ivory Coast 4-2 in the third place play-off.

Ghana start the World Cup qualifiers with an away match in Gabon on June 1st.

The 2010 World Cup qualifiers are also being used to decide the 16 finalists for the Cup of Nations in Angola.

Reuters