U-17 Is For Future Not Now - Fabin

Ghana national U-17  head coach, Paa Kwesi Fabin has played down expectations that the Black Starlets team being put together should win trophies for the country.

The Black Starlets were a force to reckon with in the youth tournaments both in Africa and in the world, winning the Under-17 World Cup trophy in 1991 and 1995, but has since gone blank in the subsequent competitions.

But  the former Hearts of Oak coach Fabin, who is yet to lead Ghana to a world youth championship after failing to guide the Black Starlets past the group stage of the 2013 Africa Under-17 Cup of Nations, says building a youth team purposely to groom them for the future, and that winning trophies is a bonus.

“You see people say we want trophies. Yes, the reason why this Under-17 team was brought about was to get people to graduate to the next level and not necessarily for trophies but along the line if we are able to win a trophy, that’s all well and good,” Fabin told Starr FM.

“Definitely at the back of my mind I am looking at working hard, getting to that level and then probably winning that trophy before I quit but I must confess it is not my priority.”

Paa Kwesi Fabin recently completed a nationwide tour for talents and has also named 40 from theAirtel Rising Stars to build a final team for th 2017 Africa Youth Championship in Madagascar.

Ghana was drawn against Liberia in the preliminary phase of the qualifiers. The fixture will be played between 24 and 26 June and  the return encounter will be played between July 1 and 3.

U-17 Is For Future Not Now - Fabin

Ghana Drawn Against Liberia in AYC Qualifiers

Ghana Black Starlets has been drawn against Liberia in the preliminary phase of CAF  U17 African Championship.

The draw for the tournament scheduled to be played in Madagascar 2017 was performed last Friday in Kigali, and Ghana will play in the first round.

Before the Black Starlets can qualify for the competition in Madagascar, they are expected to go through three qualifying rounds.

The first round matches will be played between 24 and 26 June and the return encounters will be played between July 1 and 3, 2016.

Twenty two countries will battle it out for a place in second round of the qualifiers which will take place on  August 5 to 7 and the return legs expected to be on August 19 and 21.

Round 1 fixtures:

Ghana – Liberia

Libya – Algeria

Mauritania – Morocco

Benin – Sierra leone

DR Congo -Chad

Sudan – Djibouti

Malawi – Kenya

Tanzania – Seychelles

Namibia – Botswana

Lesotho – Mauritius

Comoros – Zimbabwe

Ghana Drawn Against Liberia in AYC Qualifiers

26 Countries Will Disobey CAF - Bility

At least 26 African countries will defy their continental confederation and not vote for Sheikh Salman of Bahrain in the FIFA presidential election, the outspoken head of the Liberia football federation said on Monday.

Musa Bility, who himself failed an integrity check to stand in the Feb. 26 election, said he had spoken to representatives of nearly half of Confederation of African Football members.

“Let me tell you” they won’t back Salman, Bility told The Associated Press.

Liberia Football Association president Bility also said he had sent a letter to the head of FIFA’s election committee demanding he step down over a “conflict of interest.” Domenico Scala should resign because he has the same Swiss nationality as one of the candidates, UEFA secretary general Gianni Infantino, Bility said.

“None of the admitted candidates has raised this matter to date, which makes it evident that Mr. Scala’s impartiality is not put in question by any of them,” FIFA ad-hoc election committee spokesman Andreas Bantel said.

On Friday, Sheikh Salman, the Asian Football Confederation president, was publicly endorsed in the FIFA election by CAF, apparently a major boost to his chances. CAF urged its 54 member countries to vote for the Bahraini royal.

Africa, with the largest number of voting members out of the continental confederations, is set to be a significant battleground in the vote.

But Bility’s comments followed assertions by some of Salman’s rival candidates that an endorsement by CAF’s executive committee does not translate into widespread support among the confederation’s member countries.

“As a nation we have the right [to vote for who we want],” Bility said on Monday. “Our rights are not tied with the rights of the executive committee of CAF.”

Bility’s association announced in the hours after CAF’s public show of support for Sheikh Salman that it would instead be voting for Prince Ali of Jordan. Prince Ali said Egypt had also promised him its vote, while South Sudan declared its support for Infantino.

There are five candidates in the running to succeed Sepp Blatter. Salman, Infantino, Ali, former FIFA official Jerome Champagne of France and South African businessman Tokyo Sexwale. Salman and Infantino appear to be the strongest contenders.

 

Source: AP

26 Countries Will Disobey CAF - Bility