Helegbe eyes senior Black Stars call-up

Helegbe eyes senior Black Stars call-up Asante Kotoko playmaker Michael Helegbe last week not only celebrated a first league win of the season with the champions, but also a call-up to camping with the national team for local Black Stars. Helegbe is one of 27 players who began camping in preparatory stages for qualifying first round tie against Benin for 2014 Africa Nations Championship - CHAN, a competition for only home-based players of CAF member countries.

The former Liberty Professionals skipper set Kotoko on the way to their first victory of the season with his first goal of the campaign as they beat Berekum Arsenals 2-0 on Match Day 5 and has welcomed the invitation to the local Black Stars team.

"It's very nice that the authorities have noticed my performances and called me up, I'm very grateful. It's a challenge to me. I have to fight hard and get a place in the main Black Stars and if I do well and it happens that I'm invited, I will be delighted to be part of the team," Helegbe told Happy FM.

The former Black Meteors captain, one of many returnees from stints abroad currently playing in the local league, is also hailing the benevolence of Kotoko fans and has described their passion as unprecedented. “To be frank if you come to Kumasi here, they are the best supporters I've ever seen. They've been so nice to me even for six months that I wasn't playing, I don't even feel like going to Accra," Helegbe said.