Asante Kotoko midfielder Richmond Lamptey has expressed his gratitude and determination after being included in Ghana's provisional squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Ivory Coast.
Lamptey is one of 55 players selected for the squad, which will be reduced to 27 ahead of the tournament.
The former Inter Allies captain, speaking for the first time after the squad was released, emphasised the importance of maintaining his focus and working hard to achieve his goals.
"I want to thank the media. I won’t lose focus after making the Black Stars provisional squad, I will continue to work hard to achieve aim," he said.
Lamptey has been in excellent form this season, and his call-up comes as no surprise. He will join the rest of the squad in Johannesburg, South Africa, where they will be camping ahead of the tournament.
During their approximately 10-day stay in South Africa, Ghana will engage in intensive training sessions, with a specific focus on preparations for the AFCON tournament scheduled to take place in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, from January 13 to February 11, 2024. As part of their preparations, Ghana will play a friendly match against Botswana on January 8, 2024.
The training sessions in South Africa will be conducted in a closed environment, with limited access for the public and media. The coaching staff, led by head coach Chris Hughton, will assess the players before finalizing the 27-man squad for the tournament. The deadline for naming the final squad is set for January 3.
Ghana, a four-time African champion, is eager to make a strong impact in the AFCON 2023, aiming to clinch the trophy that has eluded them for four decades.
Their challenging group stage fixtures include matches against Cape Verde on January 14, Egypt on January 18, and Mozambique on January 22, 2024.