Sports News of Saturday, 24 December 2022

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

The Black Stars have a bright future under Kurt Okraku - Coach Opeele Boateng

Former National Under-17 assistant coach, Isaac Adade Opeele Boateng Former National Under-17 assistant coach, Isaac Adade Opeele Boateng

Former National Under-17 assistant coach, Isaac Adade Opeele Boateng is convinced that the future of the Black Stars is bright with Kurt Okraku in the saddle as President of the Ghana Football Association.

Coach Opeele believes that, at the 2022 World Cup, the Black Stars showed that they are a team with the right foundation and that with time they will mature into world beaters.

Showing some statics that rank Ghana as the second-best African country at the World Cup when it comes to passing, Opeele says the numbers polled by the Black Stars give him confidence that the success will be chalked in the foreseeable future.

The former Asante Kotoko coach defended the decision by the Ghana Football Association to build a team dominated by Ghanaians born abroad.

He cited the case of Messi who despite being born in Argentina grew up in Spain to justify his position.

“Ghana placed second on this log. The future of the Black Stars is bright thanks to Kurt Okraku's smart vision of raking in Ghanaian players in the Diaspora.

“Messi was born in Argentina but left at 13. He is a diaspora. Morocco had more than 11 diaspora players. Gh future is bright, he said.

At the World Cup in Qatar, the Black Stars won one and lost two of their games in Group H.

Ghana’s only victory came in the second group game against South Korea with the defeats coming against Portugal and Uruguay.

Shortly after the defeat against Uruguay, coach Otto Addo announced his resignation from the team but indicated his confidence in the current crop of players to win something huge for Ghana.

The 2022 World Cup was won by Argentina who defeated France 4-2 on penalties after the game ended 3-3 in extra time.

Whiles Argentina got $42million for being winners, the Black Stars were given $9million for finishing as the 24th-ranked country in the competition.