A member of the GFA Executive Council, Randy Abbey says he is confident that for the first time in many years, the Black Meteors of Ghana will qualify for the Olympic Games. He made this bold prediction when members of the newly formed GFA Executive Council bid farewell to the team at the Kotoka Airport earlier this week.
The astute football administrator attributed Ghana’s failure to qualify for the last four editions of the Olympic Games to problems such as club’s refusing to release players but tasked the current to change the story.
Speaking to the media before the team’s departure, Randy Abbey said “we won the All African Games in 2011 but the Olympics is the biggest and we haven’t been able to qualify for sometime now so we are hopeful that this time we will make it. Now the format for the qualification has also change because it didn’t use to be like this so let’s hope that this new format will bring us new fortune. One of the problems we have always faced in the past is the release of players because the Meteors games are not held on FIFA free dates so it is difficult to get especially the foreign based players. We have another opportunity and we have to make good use of it.”
The Black Meteors left the shores of Ghana on Tuesday for the 2019 Africa under-23 Cup of Nations with a promise to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.
It has been sixteen years since the team competed in the world’s biggest sporting festival and winger Evans Mensah has assured Ghanaians of the team’s resolve to make it to Japan next year.
Speaking to pressmen ahead of the team’s departure, the former Inter Allies forward said he is targeting the goal king crown at the tournament.
“Everybody is ready to play; everybody is fit and everybody is ready to play. It is very important for this group, Ghana and the team to qualify because we need to make our nation proud and also make ourselves proud. The most important thing is we have to qualify. We just need to qualify and also win the cup”.
His teammate, Robin Polley also said ‘it’s always good to start a tournament with three points so that is important. It’s going to be crucial and I have to be ready. I feel pressured but I believe that for the first time in sixteen years, something good happen.
While the players and technical team member were going through the travelling process at the Kotoka International Airport, the President of the FA and three Executive Council members were receiving an 8,000-dollar donation from the Ghana Olympic Committee.
The gesture, according to the President of GOC, Ben Nunoo Mensah is an act of goodwill and a show of support to the team. “The GOC deems it fit that we should support every national team that is going for qualifies for the Olympic Games. As we all know the Black Meteors will be emplaning anytime soon to go to Egypt and compete and qualify for the Olympic Games. So, on behalf of the GOC we are donating an amount of 8000 dollars to the president of the FA”, he said.
GFA President, Kurt Okraku revealed that the association has in place financial package for the team and also charged them to play their hearts out for the country.
Okraku said that a return to the Olympic Games after nearly two decades, will mark a perfect start to his reign as GFA Boss.
“I’m extremely blessed to have received that phone call from your good self, promising to bless me but our national under-23. I’m saying I’m blessed because by the time the phone call I was on the other phone talking to somebody about the incentive package or how to motivate the team”.
“Indeed, motivation does not only rely on cash incentives. I believe that our Olympic team has prepared well. They are very focused. I believe in the leadership of the technical team. I believe that they have focused their minds and energy on making the Ghanaian colors proud”, he said.
The Black Meteors have been drawn in group A alongside hosts Egypt, Cameroon and Mali. The top three teams from the competition will qualify for the Olympics in Tokyo next year.
