Qualification does not amount to winning of World Cup

Kumasi, October 16, GNA - The Ghana Black Stars have been cautioned that even though they have qualified for the World Cup in German 2006, it is not enough justification for them to be complacent. Mr. Opoku Agyemang Prempeh, Managing Director of Lakayana Company, a Revenue Generation and Debt collection consortium based in Kumasi who gave the advice to the team, said it is only when they are able to win the World Cup that they can be complacent.

Mr. Prempeh gave the advice in a congratulatory message copied to the GNA Sports on Sunday, to the Black Stars for qualifying for the World Cup.

He said qualifying for the World Cup was only the first step towards achieving moral soccer laurels and it is for them to capitalize on the feat to propel them to work much harder than before to capture the World Cup.

Mr. Prempeh cautioned against singling out individuals and group of people for honours and praises for bringing the Black Stars this far. He said such praises would undermine the collective effort of all and sundry in contributing towards the success of the Black Stars for their qualification.

"I can assure you that without the relentless and unceasing prayers of Ghanaians, it would have been difficult, no matter the excellent display of the players and the technical team for the Black Stars to qualify for the World Cup", Mr. Prempeh emphasized.

Mr. Prempeh was of the view that even though the present crop of players should be maintained, it was also imperative to search around the world to bring in more professional footballers to beef up the senior National team to guarantee their chances of lifting the ultimate Cup.

He said apart from bringing together the best crop of professional players, it was also necessary that the Government and the Ghana Football Association (GFA) gave the coach a free hand in the selection of the cream of players he needs to use for the World Cup.