Former England star backs Ghana for 2017 AFCON

Former England international, Emile Heskey, believes the Black Stars have the quality  to win next year's AFCON in Gabon.

Heskey, who played for Liverpool between 2000 and 2004 noted that the Stars had a young side that could wage a strong challenge for the continental title but cautioned Ghana that there were other  strong Africa nations that could pose problems for the Stars.

In an interview with the Graphic Sports, Heskey, who featured for the World XI side in the Stephen Appiah Unity Match for Peace ahead of this year's Presidential and Parliamentary polls, said: "The Black Stars have a good  team that can win the AFCON.

"Ghana has a very youthful side with a lot of potential but there are other good sides capable of mounting a strong challenge for the AFCON.”

“However, I will be behind the Stars when they compete with the rest of Africa for the AFCON title next year,” he emphasised.

On Ghanian football, Heskey, who joined the likes of Sol Campbell, William Gallas, Nwankwo Kanu, Alexandre Song, Yakubu Ayigbeni, Sulley Ali Muntari and Michael Essien among others, contended that Ghana was endowed with great talents that needed to be nurtured for the future.

He, however, ruled out any move to play for a Ghanaian club when asked whether he would consider featuring for either Accra Hearts of Oak or Kumasi Asante Kotoko saying "I am now 38 years and too old for active football”.