Black Stars must avoid complacency - Didi Dramani

Head coach of Kumasi Asante Kotoko Mas-Ud Didi Dramani has commended the Black Stars for their performance in the ongoing African Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea but has strongly warned the team to eschew complacency.

Didi Dramani predicted prior to the tournament that the Black Stars are likely to end up winning the trophy by repeating the happenings of the 1982 Afcon in Libya.

He maintains that same position, but says, the dream can only be possible if the Black Stars avoid complacency.

In an exclusive interview with Sportscrusader.com, Didi said: “In tournaments, teams that are not favoured usually win it. So I knew Ghana would be able to win it. When we were going into the 1982 Afcon, we were not the best at that time and besides we went with so many debutants like Abedi Pele and Opoku Nti so I saw it coming.”

“Again, we’re not favoured for this tournament as our preparations and the shortfall in Brazil had a great effect on our preparations… so the expectations were not all that high. So the team was not under any pressure to perform. So I knew the team would be able to do well”, Didi added.

The CAF technical instructor was however quick to warn the team against being complacent on their way to the finals since it can be detrimental to the course of the team.

“We must however be very careful and know that all the teams that have gotten this far are capable of winning the trophy so we must keep the spirit high. We must never underrate our opponents. Don’t forget that Equatorial Guinea themselves did not hope of getting this far but they are now in high spirit because they now believe that they can also win it. So we must be very careful.

But that notwithstanding, we are likely to come home with the trophy” Didi concluded.

The Black Stars lost their first group game to the Teranga Lions of Senegal but went ahead to beat the Desert Warriors of Algeria and the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in the group stages before moving ahead to beat the Syli Nationales of Guinea in the quarter final to secure a ticket in the semi finals against the host nation, Equatorial Guinea.