Ghana midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang Badu wants the technical team of the Black Stars and the playing body to take Sammy Kuffour’s claim that Ghana can’t win 2019 AFCON serious and work towards it.

Sammy Kuffour during the launch of the Aiteo CAF Awards 2017 at the Kimpiski Hotel in December 2017 had said that the Black Stars can’t win the 2019 AFCON despite making it a top priority for head coach Kwasi Appiah.

Kuffour entreated the Ghana FA and the leadership of the Black Stars to work towards winning the AFCON trophy in 2021, using the 2019 edition as a proper preparatory ground.

And Agyemang Badu says Kufoour’s comments must be taken serious so that the team can prepare well to up their game to prove Kufour wrong.

In an exclusive interview with GHANAsoccernet.com, Badu said, “He’s been in football for long. He has an eye to see into the future and we must take him serious.”

Badu however argued that the time for the 2019 AFCON offers Ghana a good platform to prepare for the tournament and win it as they have targeted.

“That is his opinion, though I think there is still time to organize ourselves well for the AFCON since we have about 18 months to the tournament.

“2019 is very far and in football, so many things can change at any given time. So I’ll say we should wait and see because even in 2019, the tournament has been moved to June and no more in January.

“So I think the coaches have time to prepare the team and the players, injuries can set in, players may dip in form, new players will join and so on.

“So for almost 18 months to the tournament, I think it will be too early for me to predict what the team can do but January 2019 will be the right time to assess the team.

“But such a great person (Osei Kuffour) must be taken serious because he has seen it all and believes in what he says,” Badu added.

Agyemang Badu has been snubbed by Coach Kwasi Appiah since his return as head coach of Ghana but the player is sure of returning into the team when the coach really needs him.