Sellas Tettah knows that Ghana’s priorities at the African Youth Championship which kicks off Sunday in Kigali, Rwanda is not just about winning a game but certainly qualifying from there to the 2009 World Youth Championships.
Four places are available to the sides taking part in the African Youth Championship which has gathered the continents best eight youth sides seeking the tag as the best team in the age category tournament designed for Under-20 players.
Ghana has claimed two titles at this level and are anxious for a third after two successive failed attempts at qualifying for the age-category competition.
The Black Satellites last played in the Africa Youth Championship at 2003 edition in Burkina Faso where they couldn’t go past the group stage.
There competition for places at the World Championships and the title too will be very strong with the African Youth Championship serving as qualifiers for the 2009 World Youth Championships that Egypt would be hosting in September.
A place in the semi-finals of the African Youth Championship would guarantee any side a place at the World Youth Championships.
The Black Satellites are placed in Group A together with Mali, Cameroon and hosts nation, Rwanda.
Ghana plays Cameroon on Sunday. The next group game for Ghana would be against Mali, two days after the opening match before rounding up with a clash against hosts, Rwanda on January 24.
And for Ghana coach, the priority for his team is to reach the semi-finals before even thinking about the title as the Black Satellites play their opening group game against Cameroon today.
“We have to take one game a time and make sure we qualify for the World stage first. From there we can get closer to title. It would be tough competition but I trust my players to be up for it,” Ghana’s coach, Sellas Tetteh said.
But even before getting a place in the semi-finals, Ghana’s opening game against Cameroon would be the first test of the Black Satellites’ ambitions at the African Youth Championship.
And team captain, Andre Ayew despite tagging the Ghana’s opening day opponents as the biggest threat, believes the Black Satellites are hungry for success.
“I think we cannot underestimate the strength of Cameroon. They have equally good players,” the Ghana captain said.
“We have a team that is hungry for success. Our target is the semi-finals that will guarantee us a World Cup berth. The whole nation is looking forward to us and we promise to make Rwanda 2009 a memorable one.”