‘Stars need a libero now’
The chairman of Cecil Hunters Football Club, Tanko Abu Seidu Barry, has admonished Black Stars coach, Kwasi Appiah, to search for an effective libero and a solid back-up for goalkeeper Fatau Dauda to enhance Ghana’s chances at the Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup.
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Mr Barry noted that though Ghana’s Group G, comprising Germany, Portugal and USA, was tough, getting the right materials on board could enable the coach to make the nation proud in Brazil.
The man, who was a strong advocate for a competent local coach for the Black Stars prior to Kwasi Appiah’s appointment last year, stressed that the current set-up of the Ghana team was such that it needed a good libero or sweeper to organise and stabilise the defence against any opposition.
“Gone are the days when we had liberos or sweepers such as Kwadwo Addae Kyenkyenhene, Kuuku Dadzie, John Eshun, Stephen Tetteh and lately John Mensah, who made the Black Stars defence impregnable against any tough opposition.
“These players played the sweeping role so well that opposing teams found it difficult to get past the centre line,” he added.
He said that good defensive organisation, coupled with good goalkeeping from the likes of Robert Mensah, Owusu Mensah, Eddie Ansah, Salifu Ansah and Joe Carr made the Stars always solid.
He, therefore, urged the Stars coach to intensify the search for an agile and well-built goalkeeper who can put the fear of God into opposing strikers at the 2014 World Cup.
“In those days our goalkeeprs stood tall in the post to keep strikers of opposing teams at bay, so I entreat Kwasi Appiah to recruit one competent young goalkeeper as a back-up for Fatau Dauda,” he said.
Until his recent string of injuries, former skipper John Mensah was the Stars’ dependable libero for over a decade.