Satellites target Rwanda gold

Sellas Tetteh, is still a prospect as far as coaching in Ghanaian football circles is concerned but an enhanced performance at the 16th African Youth Championship, Rwanda 2009, will certainly place him above his coaching peers. Tetteh, who turned 52 last December, leads Ghana's Black Satellites to the championship; the two-time winners will be seeking to reclaim their place among the elite youth sides in Africa.

Ghana has missed out on the last two editions of the biennial tourney, Benin (2005) and Congo (2007) where veteran trainer Francis Oti Akenteng was in charge on both occasions.

But qualification to the biggest platform for youth football is enough a plus for Tetteh, penciled for the Black Stars job in the not too distant future.

The Satellites shone past Angola and Gambia, 5-2 and 3-1 on aggregate in the first and final rounds respectively, and a ticket to the FIFA U-20 World Cup to be held in Egypt later in the year will be an added plus for the former Hearts of Oak midfielder. A place at the last four will guarantee the Black Satellites one of four of Africa's tickets for the World event, but Tetteh is eyeing more than just that. Ghana has been drawn in Group A against hosts Rwanda, Cameroon and Mali for the tourney, and Tetteh, an assistant with the Black Stars for four years, is optimistic his team has had the best of preparations to scale over their opponents for the ultimate.

Masterminded with the rise to fame of some of Ghana’s finest footballers including Chelsea Star, Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari of Inter Milan and Asamoah Gyan of French side Stade Rennais; the Liberty Professionals coach has named a strong side for the competition that lasts January 18 till February 1, 2009.

The team is dominated by members of the Black Starlets squad that place fourth at the Korea 2007 FIFA Championship, which incidentally Tetteh was the Technical Director. Leading the team is Andre Ayew, son of Ghana football legend Abedi Pele, Ransford Osei, Silver boot winner at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Korea in 2007, Dominic Adiyiah of Norwegian side Fredisktad and OG Nice duo, Abeiku Quansah and Enoch Adu Kofi among others. "I have picked a crop of players I am convinced they can go the farthest. I would be very happy if we pick one of the four slots allotted Africa at the World Cup. “I believe my team has the capacity to go for the ultimate, but our immediate target is to progress past the group stage, Tetteh said before leaving for camping in Kenya.

The Ghanaian side will be without Spanish based trio; Rabiu Mohamed (Xerez Deportivo), Sadick Adams (Athletico Madrid) and Daniel Opare (Real Madrid) due to injuries, but captain Ayew believes they will survive. "I think we cannot underestimate the strength of Cameroon (winners in 1995). They have equally good players," Dede picked the Indomitable Cubs as their biggest threat."We have a team that is hungry for success. Our target is the semi-finals that will guarantee us a World Cup berth. The whole nation is looking forward to us and we promise to make Rwanda 2009 a memorable one."

The Black Satellites will wrap up their preparation with a seven day camping in Naivashi, a town on the northwest part of Nairobi, the Kenyan capital to acclimatize. Ghana would kick off their campaign against Cameroon at the National Stadium in Kigali on January 18; face Mali two days after before wrap up against hosts, Rwanda on January 24. Ghana last played in the Africa Youth Championship at 2003 edition in Burkina Faso where they failed to progress past the group stage.

Squad Goalkeepers Daniel Adjei (Liberty Professionals), Joseph Addo (Hasaacas)

Defenders

Kassenu Ghandi (Liberty Professionals), Samuel Inkoom (Asante Kotoko), David Addy (Randers FC, Denmark), Philip Boampong (Arsenal), Daniel Addo (King Faisal), Jonathan Mensah (Free State Stars, South Africa), Godfred Rockson (Heart of Lions)

Midfielders

Abeiku Quansah (OG Nice, France), Enoch Adu-Kofi (OG Nice, France), Gladson Awaku (Heart of Lions), Dede Ayew (Lorient, France), Emmanuel Agyeman Badu (Asante Kotoko)

Strikers

Latif Salifu (Liberty Professionals), Ransford Osei (Maccabi Tel Aviv, Israel) Dominic Adiyah (Fredisktad, Norway), Isaac Donkor (Liberty Professionals)