GFA justifies criteria for selecting friendly matches

The Vice-President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Mr Fred Pappoe has debunked media reports that the Association was "afraid to organise friendly matches against tough countries for the Black Stars". "We have our own criteria for selecting friendly matches for the Stars and I can assure Ghanaians that we take into consideration the best of options before choosing which team to play", he insisted. Mr Pappoe was speaking at a press conference organized by the GFA for sports journalists drawn from the Northern Sector in Kumasi at the weekend. He stressed that the Black Stars have so far engaged 10 countries in friendly matches since their participation in last year's World Cup Championship in Germany and that all the matches were worth their sort as the countries gave the Stars a stiff opposition. The Vice President mentioned Brazil, Austria, Australia, Japan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia as some of the countries that have so far engaged Ghana in friendly matches, adding that the Stars had also played some African countries including Nigeria, Togo, Morocco and Senegal. Mr Pappoe described those matches as very healthy exercises since they exposed the weaknesses and strength inherent in the Ghanaian team to enable the technical bench make amends in future competitions. He pointed out that all the matches were designed to eventually cushion the Black Stars to achieve success in the upcoming African Cup of Nations tournament in Ghana and therefore urged sports journalists to be circumspect in their reportage in respect of the friendly matches. Mr Pappoe said that the GFA may be forced to cancel their intended friendly match against Jamaica in London due to security reasons. "The London Metropolitan Police have expressed worry about the intended match because of their long-standing differences with Jamaicans living in the city", he noted. He stressed, however, that the GFA had plans of engaging a different team if the Jamaican match backfires. Mr Pappoe advised sports broadcasters to dedicate most of their programmes to highlighting the impending Nations' Cup to help whip up the needed interests and enthusiasm among the citizenry.