Ghana coach, Avram Grant is supremely confident Ghana would reach a fourth straight world cup and has vowed the team would shut out all the chaos that has dogged its preparations recently in a bid to do that.
Tensions between the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the Ministry of Youth and Sports continues to lurk in the background as the team begins its bid to qualify for Russia 2018 but Grant is hoping the team can brush that off and storm its way out of what Grant calls a difficult qualifying group.
Grant said: “I know the results in the last African qualification against Uganda when we lost away and drew at home. I saw them the day they qualified to the African Cup.
“They are a very good side but we always want to show that we are very strong. I don’t think it will be an easy game but our target is the same to win and to do everything to be in Russia.’’
The conventional wisdom has often been that in order to qualify for major tournament, home advantage is everything but Grant says it doesn’t matter how they do it. Ghana, he says should simply reach Russia 2018.
‘‘It a group stage so it’s most important that we finish first in the group. It is a tough group in which all the teams can qualify but we have our own vision we want to be there.”
The Israeli has managed at almost every level in world football including Chelsea to the Champions League final and Ghana to the verge of Nations Cup glory in 2015. He is hoping he can add the world cup to that impressive CV after coming within two goals of doing that with Israel previously.
“Part of the reason why I came here is to understand why from this talent the achievement is not the same as the talent. First we have to get there and I am convinced we would start well on Friday.”
Egypt would face Congo in the match in Ghana’s group.
By Michael Oti Adjei|TV3 Sports|Ghana
Twitter: @3newsgh
