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Soccer News of Thursday, 29 September 2016

Source: ultimate106.9.com

Ghana U-23 is a forgotten team – Malik Jabir

Veteran coach and ex-Ghana international Malik Jabir Veteran coach and ex-Ghana international Malik Jabir

Former head coach of national Under-23 team, Malik Jabir, has shockingly revealed the Black Meteors in recent times receive no attention from the FA, thus making people oblivion of the team.

The Under-23 team failed to qualify for the world’s biggest event, Rio 2016 Olympic Games, after crushing out on penalties with Congo following a 1-1 goal aggregate– a tournament the nation has failed to appear since 2004 under Italian trainer Mariano Barreto.

The 71-year-old managed to qualify the team for All African Games in Congo in 2015.

Jabir, who featured for Asante Kotoko between 1964 and 1977, has however made interesting revelations to Ultimate FM’s Sports Zone, chronicling events that led to the team’s inability to qualify.

“I had seven foreign-based players who were supposed to join the local ones but they [Ministry and FA] said there was no money, so at a later stage, I was told to pick an entirely local players,” Jabir disclosed.

“The on-going league at the time also coincided with our preparations. Players were shuffling between club and national duties – so there was fatigue on their part.

“On two occasions in Tamale, when we were supposed to play against our opponents, we were ejected from our hotel every Saturday and had to wait at the reception.

“We wait till phone calls are made before we are allowed back in. Then again, the next Saturday we are thrown out for non-payment of bills.

“Though we won our two matches but you can imagine the form it took.

“When in Tamale, it was difficult for teams to come for their players but when we returned to Accra, our camp was just like a market place.

“On TV and radio it was never discussed and made public for people to know. It was there and then I realized the national Under-23 is a forgotten team,” Jabir bemoaned.

Malik Jabir won CAF African Cup with Kumasi Asante Kotoko in 1970.