Getting Battle Hardened: Cranes Train At Namboole

THE Cranes technical committee is confident it has masterminded a potentially foolproof strategy to counter any foul tricks Ghana might employ to defeat Uganda.

Coach Leo Adraa revealed shortly before departure yesterday that the Cranes' travelling arrangements had been designed in such a way that they spend only a day in Ghana before the monumental Group 13 encounter.

"We want to spend little time in Ghana to combat their dirty tricks. If we spend too much time there, we might fall victims to such tricks like food and sleep shortage."

Adraa, a coaching veteran at

national level, said that they had learnt from their earlier continental mistakes and have rectified them.

"When you go to play north and west African nations, they ensure you are denied basic needs before the match like food and rest. But this time, we're ready to fight that."

Cranes officials and players have in the past accused their various hosts of foul play by keeping them in airport lobbies for lengthy periods, giving them food with so much pepper and keeping them in hotels far from the playing stadia.

These have ensured that the players are deprived of sleep, food and rest while being forced to travel tiresome distances before playing their matches.

"Ghana is a desperate nation right now since they are bottom of the group. Since we beat them, they're cautious and will try anything to get that slight edge against us that can give them a more guaranteed chance of victory."

Adraa disclosed that they had encouraged the players not to be intimidated by such demoralising tricks or even the fanatically hostile home crowd that is expected to cheer every Ghanaian touch while jeering every Ugandan move.

"They moved the game to Kumasi for this reason but our boys are physically and mentally prepared."