GRi Sports Ghana 05 - 10 - 2000

Black Stars ready for the kill -Fianoo

Soccer: Gargo is yet to rescind his decision not to play for Ghana

 

Black Stars ready for the kill -Fianoo

Accra (Greater Accra) 5 October 2000

 

The Black Stars are ready to maul the Warriors of Zimbabwe on Sunday and halt their bluff at the top of the league table.

 

Mr. Kudjo Fianoo, Welfare Officer of the Stars told GNA Sports in Accra on Wednesday that the mood in the Stars camp points to "a white Sunday".

 

"Morale in camp is very high. The boys are all charged to excel and Zimbabwe is in great trouble. They will be over-run and crushed to pulp", he said.

 

Mr. Fianoo said all the boys are doing well in their leagues in Europe and are determined to bring their sparkling forms to the national team and re-chart Ghana's position on the world soccer map.

 

"The time has come again when the mere mention of the Black Stars would send cold shivers down the spines of other countries. There is a high level of commitment on the part of the boys and I have never heard them talk about a match with this kind of patriotism".  

 

The welfare officer however urged Ghanaians to cheer the Stars in order to encourage them to triumph.

 

He reminded the spectators that goals could be scored at any stage of a match and urged them not to relent in their support till the final whistle.

 

"Tell Ghanaians to be patient with the team on Sunday and they will not be disappointed. You see, against Sierra Leone we scored only one goal in the first half and many more came at the latter stages of the game" Mr. Fianoo said.

 

Meanwhile, the welfare officer is working round the clock to ensure that the Stars new defender, Hans Adu Sarpei secures a Ghanaian passport in readiness for the match.

 

Sarpei, who was born in Tema in 1976 holds a German passport as he was taken to Europe as an infant.

 

He plays for Duisburg in the German second division and was recruited for the Stars by skipper Charles Akunnor, after monitoring his form for sometime.

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Soccer: Gargo is yet to rescind his decision not to play for Ghana

Accra (Greater Accra) 5 October 2000

 

Mr. Kojo Fianoo, Welfare Manager of the senior national soccer team, Black Stars, has said Ghanaian soccer international Mohammed Gargo, is not likely to feature in Sunday's African cup qualifier against Zimbabwe since he has not rescinded his earlier decision to retire from the team.

 

Mr. Fianoo told the GNA that the player was invited for Sunday's match, like the others, but he declined stating that he still stood by his earlier decision.

 

"I called him upon receiving his reply and explained the implication of his stand and pleaded with him to reconsider it since he cannot continue neglecting his country of birth in the interest of a foreign club"

 

Mr. Fianoo said he further explained to him (Gargo) that he could continue his footballing carrier in countries like England since they demand that any such player features in 75 per cent of his country's national team matches in the previous two years before being considered for a work permit.

 

It would be recalled that just after this year's African Cup of nations jointly hosted by Ghana and Nigeria, Gargo announced his resignation from the national citing personal and club commitments as his reasons.

 

Gargo who plays regularly for Italian 'serie A' side Udinese this weekend scored a goal in his team's 4-2 victory over Brescia and are currently on top of the Italian League.

 

Mr. Fianoo said even though he was able to convince the player, he is yet to get Gargo's decision if he is coming down or not. He assured fans that if he rescinds his decision he would be invited to contribute his quarter.

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