Sports News of Friday, 22 May 2020

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

We don't plan yet want to win the AFCON - Sammy Kuffour

Samuel Osei Kuffour Samuel Osei Kuffour

Former Bayern Munich and Black Stars defender, Samuel Osei Kuffour has said that the country's long wait for another AFCON trophy since 1982 may be prolonged if proper measures and plans are not put in place.

The Black Stars have gone nearly four decades without an AFCON trophy after coming close in 1992,2010, and 2015 following a defeat to Egypt and Ivory Coast on two occasions.

However, new coach Charles Akonnor has been tasked by the Ghana Football Association to win the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations and also qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Kuffour who played alongside Charles Akonnor in the national team believes that asking the current coach to win the next AFCON may be impossible without a proper plan from the country.

In an interview with GTV Sports Plus, he stated that preparing for a tournament can only win you games but you cannot win the ultimate with just preparations.

"I know it's going to hurt some people but I must say it. We shouldn't even think about going to win the Africa Cup of Nations in 2021. We should give ourselves about six years because we don't have a plan, philosophy, and concept but they should be our target."

"We feel like we have Asamoah Gyan and Dede Ayew so, by all means, we need to win the Africa Cup of Nations, which is a big no. We shouldn't put pressure on CK because he needs to build a team. After all, the quality we've had over the years is not the same as the current team."

"But if we can allow him to build what he wants to build with his philosophy, then I can think can go places. Anytime Ghana goes for a tournament, we don't plan yet we want to be yet want to win. There is a difference between preparations and planning, so if you don't plan you cannot win, and if you don't prepare you will lose. We won't go anywhere if we just prepare for a tournament and after the tournament, nobody talks about the Black Stars again." he concluded.