Zambia coach in fresh Ghana attack - 'Black Stars recall best players because of us'

Published on: 30 July 2013
Zambia coach in fresh Ghana attack - 'Black Stars recall best players because of us'
Herve Renard

Zambia coach Herve Renard says the decision by Ghana to recall some of the country's best players to the Black Stars is because they are aware of the threat his team poses ahead of the crucial Group D World Cup qualifier in September.

In his latest batch of mind games ahead of the clash in Kumasi, the Frenchman said it was clear that Ghana wants to assemble its best team because they knew how strong Zambia was.

The Ghana FA has asked some of the country's key players like Kevin Prince Boateng and Michael Essien to return to the fold while the country's President met Andre and Jordan Ayew to ask them to make themselves available for the national team.

Since Ghana took over the leadership of Group D of the World Cup qualifiers the Zambia coach, who is a former physical trainer of the Black Stars, has embarked on mind games.

The decision to recall some of the Black Stars top players has resulted in his latest mind games insisting they have beaten the Ghanaians two times in a row.

But Zambia have badly struggled in the World Cup qualifiers and they are second in the group even though FIFA gave them three free boardroom points over a protest which means Ghana would have already qualified by now if Zambia were not given the protest points after Sudan soundly beat them.

Despite their worrying statistics for the Chipolopolo, their coach is clutching forward with his bale forecasts.

"They have to call their best team because they know it won't be easy to beat the Zambia national team. The last two games they played against us they lost, so maybe the first time they were surprised but the second time they said, 'not anymore'," Renard said.

"So we know they want the best team for the Black Stars but we also put the best team we can have in this country to make the game very tough. I'm sure everyone is waiting for this game, but for us, we will be ready for the game, which is a very tough international game.

"This is what we like. When there is no pressure, there is no football. No pressure is for madala."

Zambia needs to win the match to go through to the final round of the World Cup qualifiers, while group leaders Ghana only need a draw.

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