Stars commence camping on May 17

Accra, May 12, GNA - Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the senior national team, the Black Stars will depart Accra on May 17 for Austria to commence camping for their maiden historic appearance at the biggest soccer event in the world - FIFA 2006 World Cup slated for Germany from June to July.

A total of 28 players are expected to be in camp for series of friendly matches before enplaning to Germany for the month-long soccer fiesta.

Out of the 28-man squad, 23 players make up the regular side that will represent the nation at the World Cup with five on the stand-bye in case of any eventuality.

Announcing the squad at a press conference in Accra on Friday, coach Ratomir Dujkovic named the 23 players made up - Sammy Adjei - Ashdod (Israel), Richard Kingston - Ankaraspor (Turkey) and, George Owu - Ashgold (Ghana) as the goalkeepers.

The defenders are John Painstil - Hapoel Tel-Aviv (Israel), Addoquaye Pappoe - Hapoel Kfar Saba (Israel), John Mensah - Rens (France), Issa Ahmed - Randers FC (Denmark), Hans Adu Sarpei - Wolfsburg (Germany), Sammy Osei Kufour - AS Roma (Italy) and Habib Mohammed, Dan Quaye and Shilla Illiasu from the camps of locally based, King Faisal, Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko respectively.

Skipper Steven Appiah of Fenerbache, Turkey, leads the pack of midfielders made up of Chelsea's Michael Essien, Sulley Ali Muntari of Udinese (Italy), Haminu Dramani of Red Star Belgrade, Yugoslavia and three returnees Derek Boateng of AIK Solna, Sweden, Otto Addo - FC Main of Germany and Eric Addo of PSV Eidhoven, Netherlands.

The strikers includes young Asamoah Gyan of Italian Serie B side, Modena, who joins forces with Mathew Amoah of Borusia Dortmund, Germany, Alex Techie-Menson of St Gallen, Switzerland and Razak Pimpong of FC Mitdjyland of Denmark.

Those placed on the stand-bye list include Yussif Chibsah and Aziz Ansah of Kumasi Asante Kotoko, Philemon McCarthy of Gomoah Fetteh Feyenoord, Baffour Gyan of Dynamo Moscow (Russia) and another Russian based player Baba Amando Adamu of Krylya Sovetou.

Changes can however be effected to the team a day before the start of the Stars opening game provided they are supported with ample evidence that the player being substituted is beyond all reasonable doubts injured.

Further more according to the rules of the competition, the players are to be subjected to compulsory medical examination by FIFA before being given license to participate in the competition.