Sports
Stars’ Qatar glory hinges on loyalty
IT is nearly a dozen days since Ghana’s Black Stars stunned a star-studded overrated Nigeria’s Super Eagles to qualify for their fourth FIFA World Cup tournament.
Against all the odds heavily stacked against them, the Stars soared to the challenge – fought tooth-and-nail, and held Nigeria’s Super Eagles to an energy-sapping 1-1 draw in the 60,000-plus capacity MKO Abuja Sports Stadium.
Having earlier played out a barren game in the first leg of the Qatar World Cup play-off in Kumasi, the Stars delightfully qualified via the away-goal rule.
It was downright shock to the Abuja fans who thought they had no choice than vent their spleen on facilities at the MKO stadium – vandalising everything in sight. Though highly unfortunate, sometimes that is the extreme football can travel.
Well, as Nigerians continue to count their cost, it is high time we got down to brass tack as regards sending a formidable team to Qatar whose tournament starts this November 21.
On Friday, Ghana was thrown into a tight Group H of a Qatar 2022 World Cup that includes Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal and Luis Suarez’s Uruguay as well as South Korea.
Indeed, we have barely seven months to prepare for a tournament which should see us putting right the wrongs of Brazil 2014 where Ghana became a laughing stock because of the team’s internal wrangling.
Ghana’s Brazil squad had everything in talent and technique but commitment and patriotism.
Truth is, money got the better of them as they totally forgot why they were at the tournament.
Whilst we congratulate the team once again for flushing out Nigeria out of their way, the technical team – spearheaded by Otto Addo would now have to turn attention on getting players who are ready, loyal and committed to play for the country. We do not have time pleading with players to don their own national colours.
One thing that has haunted our game over the years is getting half-baked, uncommitted and less patriotic entities into the national team. Such players are all-too ready to cry wolf, even when there is no dog; and they make trouble at the slightest faux pas.
Let be known to our national team selectors that we are not going to Qatar just to make the numbers; we are storming there to carve a niche for ourselves and for African football.
Already, because of the brave display of the boys in their last two qualifiers, a number of revered football icons including Nigeria’s Jay Jay Okocha have tipped the Stars as one of the teams to look out for. Great Scott!
As such, we need players who would play as champions – demonstrating lots of passion and desire; and be prepared to die on the pitch rather than throw up hands in despair.
Heartily, a good number of the present Ghana contingent has copiously demonstrated some great derring-do and a character that suggest they can defend the national flag with their last drop of blood. That is the way to go!
However, one department that is of great concern to most Ghanaians is the forwardline and our technical team must as a matter of urgency find a way of cutting that Gordian knot. To say the team must be beefed up is stating the obvious.
Mention has been made of a couple of players including Spanish-born Ghanaian forward Inaki Williams Arthur, who plays for Atletic Bilbao. He is a pure terror in attack who would give opposing defence real torment to deal with if we are fortunate to get him into our fold.
Born to a Ghanaian father and a Liberian mother, the 28-year-old Arthur is a holder of multiple citizenships which makes him eligible to play for Ghana. Several failed attempts by the GFA to convince him to switch nationality, however, have hit a snag. This time, Iñaki may have changed his mind, following Ghana’s qualification for the World Cup.
One other issue that is of grave concern is talk of revenge on Uruguay. There is nothing to revenge!
We should rather concentrate on our preparation and stop being emotional about what happened in South Africa 2010. If we put this revenge thing into the minds of our boys, we might be humiliated by Uruguay and crash home after the group stage.
Indeed, care must be taken so that we do not exert all our energy on beating Uruguay and slumping in the other games that are equally tough. We must take every game as a final and that is the surest way of making it to the Round of 16
Obviously, we are not going to Qatar because of Uruguay. We must go there and entertain the world with our deluxe football as well as qualify from the group.
It is true that Uruguay were responsible for Ghana’s quarter-final exit at the 2010 World Cup when their star player Luis Suarez scooped a last-gasp goal-bound ball from the net. But the referee subsequently gave us a spot-kick for that ‘sin’ – and it was squandered by top goal-poacher Asamoah Gyan. Ghana consequently lost the ensuing shoot-out after the extra-time failed to produce a winner.
Let us not forget we have Portugal and South Korea to deal with in the group. The two are equally combatively blistering battles.
What we need now is focus and getting our preparations right. The Black Stars will shine again, but it would all depend on us.
PlainTalk With John Vigah
Officials from the Ghana mission in the United Arab Emirates have paid a morale-boosting visit to the camp of the Black Queens.
The delegation, made up of Consular Officer Percy Okudzeto, Consul and Head of Chancery Abdul-Jalil Sigli Yakubu Abdulai and Head of Transport Anas Shaibu, visited the team to assure them of the government’s support and commitment to their safety and welfare.
During the visit, the officials interacted with the team and offered words of encouragement, urging the team to remain focused on the tournament despite concerns surrounding unrest in parts of the UAE.
Consular Officer Percy Okudzeto emphasised that the Ghanaian government, through its diplomatic mission, is closely monitoring the situation and is committed to ensuring the team’s safety throughout their stay.
“We want the team to stay calm and focus on the competition. The government and the embassy are doing everything possible to ensure your safety and well-being.” he said.
Consul and Head of Chancery Abdul-Jalil Sigli Yakubu Abdulai also reiterated the mission’s readiness to provide any assistance required by the team during the tournament.
Leadership of the team expressed appreciation for the visit, describing it as timely and motivating.
With the backing of Ghana’s diplomatic officials in the UAE, the Black Queens remain determined to represent the country proudly and deliver strong performances in the Pink Ladies Cup.
The Black Queens have arrived in the United Arab Emirates to participate in the upcoming Pink Ladies Cup in Dubai. The team touched down at the Dubai International Airport via Emirates Air on Wednesday morning and were warmly received by the competition’s organising officials.
The squad will be based at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, where they will begin their final preparations for the tournament. Organised as part of the international women’s football calendar, the Pink Ladies Cup is expected to feature four national sides using the competition to assess their squads and fine-tune strategies for upcoming tournaments.
Ghana will open their campaign today with a clash against Hong Kong, while Russia and Tanzania face off in the other opening match.
The Black Queens are then scheduled to return to action on March 3, when they take on Russia in a match expected to test them against a physically strong opponent.
The final round of games will be played on March 6, with Ghana closing their campaign against Tanzania at 9:00 pm.
With three matches in eight days, the tournament promises to be a crucial phase in Ghana’s preparation, as the Black Queens aim to return to continental action sharper, stronger, and more competitive.
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