President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Okraku, has implored the country to rally behind the Black Stars in preparation for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
He made these remarks during Black Stars’ final announcement of the 27-man squad on Monday morning for the tournament in Ivory Coast.
Addressing the media, Mr Okraku emphasized the importance of the entire country rallying behind the team, setting aside individual preferences regarding the selection of players for Chris Hughton’s final squad for the tournament.
He also stressed the significance of travelling to the Ivory Coast as a united front, urging the citizens to support the team in their efforts to represent the nation.
He emphasized that such collective backing is crucial for the players to maintain focus and perform at their peak adrenaline levels.
“All of us hear have opinions on who must be in the squad for the AFCON, whether the player is your friend or your brother we must support the team.
“My plea to all of us is that the entire nation must get behind the team, we have one single senior national team in the men, and these men are the Black Stars, let’s get behind the squad, let’s us leave behind us the past and as Ghanaians let’s support the team who have been called to represent Ghana in Cote D’Ivoire.
“This is the only way the team can deliver, we all know the performance of the team in the last few months has not been good, but let us continue to support the team,” he added.
Ghana will open camp on Tuesday, January 2 in Kumasi and will take on Namibia in a preparatory game on January 8 at the Baba Yara Stadium before departing for Ivory Coast on January 10.
Ghana finds itself in Group B for the upcoming tournament, facing formidable opponents such as Cape Verde, Egypt, and Mozambique.