Brazil 2014 qualifying format tricky: Pappoe

Ghana Football Association vice president Fred Pappoe reckons the new qualifying format for the 2014 World Cup will make world cup qualification a lot more difficult and challenging for the Black Stars.

CAF has announced a new qualifying system that reduced the number of games that countries will have to play to reach the biggest football showpiece event but Pappoe says it posses many challenges for the various countries.

Under the new system, Ghana and 27 other countries based on FIFA rankings will be exempted from a preliminary round of qualifiers but will join the campaign at a group stage later.

The ten winners of the various groups will then be involved in a two leg play-off to determine Africa’s five representatives at the World Cup.

“I think it is good there are fewer games to be player but it makes it dicey especially where the top ten teams will have to play against each other to determine who qualifiers. That is precarious,” Pappoe said.

“It is dicey for the qualification of a team to be determined by two games played on a home and away basis. I would have preferred a home and away basis that would have spread the chances.

“It makes it more difficult than what we were used to in the two previous tournaments and exposes teams to many of the intrigues that happens on away travels on the continent.”

Pappoe insists those views are his personal opinions and reckons the Black Stars will still qualify for the tournament with the right attitude especially away from home.