Ghana’s opening 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier could be played in Kumasi as the Ghana FA reverts to its venue rotational policy for Black Stars matches.
Ghana opens its campaign towards qualifying for the 2017 AFCON at home to Mauritius on June 13.
The Black Stars played most of their last qualifying matches for the 2015 AFCON in Tamale after fans in Kumasi withdrew their enormous support to the team over their poor showing at the 2014 World Cup.
Tamale during the difficult period provided a safe haven for the Black Stars in giving them the fullest support to help the side qualify for the tournament which was eventually hosted by Equatorial Guinea.
But GFA spokesman Ibrahim Sannie Daara has hinted that Black Stars matches would be moved back to Kumasi as the association reverts to its rotational policy.
“The GFA will revert to its rotational policy,” says the GFA spokesman.
“We want every Ghanaian to also have a feel of the Black Stars so we would spread the games across venues where there are good facilities to host the team.
“The Black Stars is not the preserve of any group of people and therefore we would want as much Ghanaians as possible to have the chance of seeing the Black Stars in action.”
The GFA is thus risking sending games back to Kumasi whose fans clearly rejected the team in protest of the unfortunate scenes that saw the Black Stars crash out of the World Cup after the first round in Brazil.
But Sannie Daara adds that it only gives the Black Stars an opportunity to win back the support of the fans.
“It is not a risk,” Daara adds. “If you go to a venue where the fans are not receptive enough due to what happened in Brazil, the onus lies on you to win them back.
“And therefore I think it will present an opportunity for the Black Stars to win back the support of the fans.”
The Ghana FA will be meeting with officials of the Sports Ministry to decide on a venue for June’s 2017 AFCON qualifier.
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