Black Stars Coach, Kwesi Appiah has played down suggestions of a technical team headache in selecting a team for the 2019 AFCON in Egypt with the assurance that he already knows the group of players to make the continental showpiece.
By Appiah’s explanation, players that hit the limelight in the last within the period after the qualifiers would not stand any chance of making it to the soccer festival.
It also comes as good news for players that in their view performed creditably in the qualifiers.
At his post Black Stars-Mauritania international friendly match press conference, Coach Appiah emphatically stated that he has already selected the players to make it to Egypt.
“I know my players; I already know the ones to pick for the AFCON and I’m certain they have enough quality to do well,” he stated.
Against suggestions that the current team lack the quality to excel at such level, Coach Appiah insisted that he has assembled the best players in the country so far and they would make the nation proud.
“So far I’ve given the opportunity to many Ghanaian players across the globe and I’m very sure that, the current team was the best for the nation and the right players would be selected for the competition”, he stated.
“We cannot use a single match to assess a player. They can have bad days on the pitch but there could be other opportunities to get the best out of each player.”
Coach Appiah said, he was looking for players that could be used in different positions but through the AFCON qualifiers and friendly matches, that problem appears to have been solved.
Appiah was full of praise for new sensation, Caleb Ekuban for the exploits he has shown.
Ekuban scored the Black Stars lone goal and went ahead to score his second goal for the team in the game against Mauritania which they won 3-1 at the Accra Sports Stadium.
“So far, he has been impressive and shown that he could do well when given the opportunity. I would continue to monitor him to see his progress ahead of the AFCON,” he said.
Aside Ekuban, he said, local players including Amos Frimpong and goalkeeper Felix Annan who had a great game on Tuesday would also be monitored and probably given a shot at the AFCON.
“Since the Normalisation Committee’s Special Competition would begin and local football would be played on weekly bases, those players and others would be monitored and be given the opportunity depending on the progress,” he stressed.
On Christian Atsu who walked off the pitch after a knock on Tuesday, coach Appiah said, the state of his injury was not known as he was taken to the hospital to be assessed.
He also explained that, Kwadwo Asamoah was not used in Saturday’s qualifier due to injury.
Deputy Captain of the Black Stars, Andre Dede Ayew was also optimistic that the Black Stars would do well and possibly win the trophy at this year’s AFCON.
Ayew who has already been to five AFCONs for Ghana, said, they were close to the trophy on many times and it was about time they broke the over 30 years trophy drought.
“We would take a game one after the other and certain we could get to the finals and hopefully win the trophy,” he stated.
He said, all the players are very hungry for the trophy as they know what it means for Ghana to win the AFCON this year.
-Kwesi Appiah
