The Black stars of Ghana,who were initially scheduled to camp in South Africa,Johannesburg,ahead of the 34th edition of the Africa Cup Of Nations(AFCON) in Ivory Coast,are now preparing to camp in Kumasi.The change in decison came after the Ghanaian public expressed their discontentment with the initial decision to the Ghana Football Association(GFA).
Following backlash from the general public for relocating from the country for their camping,the Ghana Football Association,in a meeting with the technical and management teams of the BlackStars,reviewed the decision and will now camp in Kumasi ahead of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.This was officially announced in a press release by the GFA Communications team on Thursday, December 28, 2023.
The team was expected to commence their camp in South Africa on Sunday,December 31, 2023,for a ten-day period ahead of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in La Côte d’Ivoire.The squad will now camp in Kumasi starting from Tuesday,January 2, 2024,as a result of the change in decision.
However,the friendly game that was set to be played against Botswana in Johannesburg on Monday,January 8, 2024,to prepare the squad for the tournament is called off with immediate effect.The Ghana Football Association is working tirelessly to locate a new opponent for the team,with Namibia a possible candidate.
The Association is also implementing strict restrictions on the Black Stars Technical Team’s request for a quiet camping atmosphere and training sessions,ensuring their privacy and confidentiality.Therefore, facilities,hotels and training sessions will not be accessible to the media and the general public.
Nonetheless,the team plans to host a meeting for the media.There will also be a post-match press conference with the media following the friendly match,and the general public will also have the opportunity to witness the game.
In order to guarantee that the objectives of the Technical Team of the Black Stars during the camping time in Kumasi are met,the association asks for public understanding and support.
Ghana is,however,paired in Group B alongside North African giants Egypt,Cape Verde and Mozambique.Ghana’s first game of the campaign will be against Cape Verde on Sunday,January 14.
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Story by:Gabriel Tecco Mensah |univers.ug.edu.gh
