Starlets set for Abu Dhabi training camp

The national under 17 football team, the Black Starlets will leave Accra on Wednesday for the United Arab Emirates’ capital of Abu Dhabi for a training camp ahead of their FIFA U-17 World Cup campaign in India next month.

The Black Starlets were initially scheduled to travel to Denmark to round up their preparations for the tourney but strict visa requirements from the Danish Embassy in Accra changed their plans to settle for Abu Dhabi instead.

However, Starlets head coach, Paa Kwesi Fabin, told the Daily Graphic last Friday at the Ghanaman Soccer School of Excellence at Prampram that he was not in favour of the Denmark trip because the weather conditions in that country, and believed Abi Dhabi would serve their interest better.

"We will not go to Denmark and I like it because the weather there is very cold," Fabin told the Graphic Sports after the team held closed-door talks with the Minister of Youth and Sports, Isaac Kwame Asiamah and his deputy, Pius Edem Hadzide.

Briefing the media on the travel arrangements for the 24-man Starlets squad, Mr Hadzide said Abu Dhabi was an ideal destination for the team because most of the U-17 teams participating in the World Cup would be camping in the same area and thus provided the team with opportunities to test their strength.

"There are six other national teams who are hopefully going to come to Abu Dhabi; New Zealand, India, Mali, Guinea, Iran and the United States of America. It is our expectation that we will take advantage of their presence to play a couple of friendlies with these teams,” Mr Hadzide said.

The deputy minister added that after the training camp in Abu Dhabi the team would head straight to India for the 2017 FIFA World Cup which runs from October 6-28.
The Starlets have been drawn alongside hosts India, United States and Colombia in Group A at the World Cup.