Black Stars begin training today

The Black Stars, Ghana's senior national soccer team will begin training at the Accra Sports Stadium today, June 25 under their new Yugoslav coach, Milan Zivadinovic.

Addressing overseas-based players last week, Mr Ben Koufie chairman of the Ghana Football Association said the coach would arrive on Monday and commence duty with a training schedule with the Stars, made up of foreign based players who are holidaying in the country and selected local players. The chairman said age would not be a criterion for selection but current form and commitment would be the yard stick to choose players who would redeem the sinking image of the Ghanaian game.

He said coach Zivadinovic had indicated his intention to work with all good players the nation has and any player who features for his club in Europe would be given a look in because it is believed he should be playing well to merit selection there.

Mr Koufie said good team building should involve blending youth and experience and assured the players that it is only the best who would be selected to prosecute the redemption crusade and ensure that Ghana plays in the next World Cup. He advised players not to think they are not wanted when they are not invited for a particular match but to take their exclusion as a challenge to work harder to catch the eyes of the selectors. "You must turn up in your numbers to work with the new coach and prove to him that you are good."

The chairman said the coach would organise periodic camping for the Europe based players in Europe and arrange friendly matches for them in such a way as not to disturb their engagements with their clubs. Mr Koufie entreated the players, administrators, the media and all stakeholders "to change and adopt positive attitude towards the development of the game" so that Ghana's stagnation would be removed for a better beginning that would meet the dreams of the nation.

"If we don't do things right we shall cease to be marking time and be completely grounded because we all know that Ghana soccer is sick and needs diagnosis and treatment of whatever disease that has afflicted it." In his contribution, Mr Wilberforce Mfum, a former captain of the Black Stars said the players must raise the level of their commitment if Ghana football should go forward.

When the players were given the opportunity to air their grievances, Ohene Kennedy, an old member of the Stars who was ignored by Osam Duodu for the Nations Cup in Mali said frequent changing of the team would not do Ghana any good. He advised the administrators to maintain the team for a long time and encourage them to improve instead of disbanding it after an unsuccessful campaign.

Kennedy said fans should also take a cue from Korean and Japanese fans and learn to encourage players who are having a difficult match instead of insulting them because they would be discouraged and lose concentration and their productivity would be low.

Emmanuel Duah, a long standing member of the squad who was in Mali for the CAN 2002 said the kiting arrangement for the tournament was appalling and advised the GFA to ensure that the team is adequately kited for future tournaments and matches.

Yaw Preko said certain remarks made about them by some people connected to soccer which they read on the Internet was most unfortunate and advised against a repetition as derogatory comments by their own people kill their zeal and make them lose form. He assured the GFA that they have resolved to forget about the past and forge closer links to redefine the status of Ghana's football.

The players later had lunch with the management board of the GFA. Those present included John Mensah, Derek Boateng, Ishmael Addo, Ohene Kennedy, Christian Attah Gyan and Charles Sampson. Others were Emmanuel Duah, Razak Ibrahim and Richard Kingston.