Otumfuo visits Black Stars Thursday

• Posted on September 2, 2013September 2, 2013
• by Ellsamwise King
• Comment

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, will visit the Black Stars at training on Thursday afternoon when the team goes through the final motions of preparations for Friday’s World Cup qualifier against Zambia in Kumasi.

The occasion will be the team’s final training before taking on the Chipolopolo at the Baba Yara Stadium.

The Stars, who began gathering in Accra at the weekend with the arrival of strikers Asamoah Gyan and Mahatma Otoo, goalkeeper Fatau Dauda and midfielder Wakaso Mubarak, will hold their first training at the Accra Stadium at 3:30p.m. today by which time the likes of Kwadwo Asamoah, Christian Atsu, John Boye, goalkeeper Razak Braimah of Guadalajara in Spain and Jonathan Mensah are all expected to have arrived.

Coach Kwasi Appiah’s 26-man squad is expected to reach full complement with the arrival of Chelsea’s Michael Essien and Kevin-Prince Boateng of Schalke by tonight.

On Tuesday, the team will train both in the morning and afternoon, before leaving Accra on Wednesday morning for Kumasi where they will train on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday afternoon.

The Asantehene’s visit will be a motivation for the team which needs a draw to progress to the final round of qualifiers for Brazil 2014.

The Zambians, who relinquished the advantage in Africa’s qualifying Group D after beating the Black Stars at home, sought FIFA’s order to have the match venue changed from Kumasi, claiming Ghana’s Derek Boateng had incited fans by demanding a revenge mission on the field.

Their coach, Herve Renard, was once an assistant with the Black Stars during Frenchman Claude Le Roy’s stint.