[ 2014-10-11 ]

Black Stars auditions continue against Guinea
This will be an unusual qualifier for the present
generation of Black Stars.

An acting coach, a nation lukewarm in its attitude
towards them, a game at a neutral venue against
opponents whose minds may be on other things apart
from football all sets it up for what should be an
odd evening in Cassablanca.

Guinea have always run Ghana close but have often
lost by the odd goal. In that sense, the 2015
Nations Cup qualifier, their home game which is
being played in their adopted home would not
represent the greatest sporting challenge to the
Black Stars.

At best it will be one of those intensely
contested games decided by the odd mistake, that
one moment of brilliance. There are a lot of
clichés in that line but it has often been the
case with Ghana-Guinea games. What is different
this time is the unique circumstances surrounding
it.

First assistant coach Maxwell Konadu will take
charge of Saturday's game after his boss was
fired. That boss, Kwesi Appiah we are told had
lost the dressing room so in that sense it will be
interesting to see how his deputy will regain it
granted there was any grain of truth in that pile
of nonsense.

One of the trends of modern football has been to
hinge games on the theory that it influences
something really important. That view is true of
two different scenarios for this Ghana-Guinea game
but first let's tackle the myth.

It is that Maxwell Konadu is in some sort of
audition for the Black Stars job with the two
games beginning on Saturday. The theory is that if
the Black Stars win and play well first in
Cassablanca and later in Tamale, he will force his
bosses into a rethink about appointing a new coach
for the national side beyond him.

That is entirely false. While Konadu may win
himself a lot of public support and even friends
within the football association, there is no
chance of him changing the view within the body
that the Black Stars job has come too soon for
him. It will be pretty much like the case of
Sellas Tetteh who did a brilliant job as stand in
coach after Claude Le Roy left in the first half
of qualifiers for the 2010 world cup but was never
considered for it on a full time basis.

The other hinge for this game though has held true
many times. It is the tale of football players who
emerge as heroes and give a country with its
spirits down something to cheer about. It is a
task the sport has often performed with a lot of
credit. Liberia comprehensively beat Ghana in a
2002 world cup qualifier and in that Guinea
dressing room, Frenchman Michel Dusseyer will be
drumming that message home.

Guinea is one of three countries battling the
ebola epidemic. It is so bad they can't play at
home and so bad one of their own players Lass
Bangoura, abandoned ship and went back to his club
side because his club mates feared being with his
countrymen will increase the risk of catching the
disease. Bangoura is the kind of sportsmen you
don't need but those Guinea players who have
stayed behind in Casablanca will know that victory
will provide a country with its spirit and mood
bleak at the moment something really positive to
be happy about.

And they have the personnel to be able to do it.
Bangoura may be gone and former Hull City defender
Kamil Zayate, Kevin Costant of Trabzonspor
constitute a trio of players unavailable for the
game through injury but they still remain a strong
force.

They will also be acutely aware that to remain in
the race for a place at the 2015 Nations Cup, they
must go into the final two games with a realistic
chance which will mean not losing what is
effectively a home game.

For Ghana the dynamics are simple. The Black Stars
have dropped two points already but four out of a
possible six is a good return. Konadu will in that
sense simply will seek to let that good run
continue. And that attitude could reflect in his
picks for who plays. It is unlikely Fatau Dauda
will get his number one spot back which means
Stephen Adams should start again as he did against
Togo. Daniel Opare's return provides Konadu with
something to think about in terms of the right
back slot but Harrison Afful has always proven a
better option there given the quality of his final
balls.

A key decision for Kondu will be who to play
alongside Jonathan Mensah. Kwabena Adusei is new
to the set up but a man Konadu knows well while
Awal Mohammed remains another option.

And with Majeed Warris struggling for form
recently there could be the temptation for Konadu
to play him as an ace from the bench.

Whatever choices he makes, the Black Stars will be
keen to come away with a win and history has
suggested in away games, without the burden of
home crowds they can be brilliant. You have to
hope Saturday evening is one of those days.

Source - allsports.com

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