[ 2013-12-04 ]

Black Stars friendlies and Brazil's climatic conditions
The Black Stars' preparations for next year’s
World Cup will be influenced by the opponents
Ghana are paired with after Friday's draw in
Brazil.

Ghana Football Association President Kwesi
Nyantakyi says they will finalise preparations for
next year’s finals soon after the draw.

Impact of draw on plans

Ghana, who will be a making a third-straight
appearance at the World Cup finals after securing
one of Africa's five places are yet to confirm
their base and friendlies ahead of the 32-team
competition.

"The outcome of the draw will influence to a very
large extent a number of decisions that will be
taken in preparations to the World Cup. The first
one is the team base camp," Nyantakyi said on
Monday as he flew out with his team for the draw
in Bahia.

"The second one is the friendlies we will line up.
The choice of friendlies will also be influenced
by the outcome of the draw. Other plans in terms
of monitoring opponents will be all be influenced
by who we play in the group matches.

"We will take certain major decisions after the
World Cup draw."

Expectation, motivation and 'Brazil of Africa'

Ghana, who reached the quarter-finals in the
previous competition will be drawn in a group
containing one of the top eight seeds on Friday by
virtue of their FIFA world ranking.

"I am very confident about the chances of Ghana, I
think we will go beyond the quarter-finals, that's
my expectation," the GFA President said.

"A number of reasons underline this feelings. We
have gained positive knowledge and experience
about the World Cup. We've been to two previous
World Cups and this is our third successive
qualification to the World Cup.

"The is a lot of motivation playing in Brazil.
Usually, people say Ghana is the 'Brazil of
Africa' and the World Cup is being played in the
'Brazil of the World', then it's just a matter of
course that the 'Brazil of Africa' must be there,
so that motivation should edge us on."

Climatic conditions

Despite other nations expressing concern about the
climatic conditions which vary across Brazil,
Nyantakyi believes Ghana could benefit from the
tropical conditions.

"Weather and climatic conditions of Brazil, they
appear to be similar to Africa," he said.

"So it's no surprising that some European coaches
and technicians are already predicting that Africa
could do well, that African could produce a World
Cup finalist and can lay a claim to winning the
World Cup and Ghana could be a candidate of Africa
towards this adventure.

"I am very hopeful that all this things could work
in our favour and put us in a very good stead to
lay a strong claim to a good performance at the
World Cup and even lay claim to winning the World
Cup."

Source - Ghanafa

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