Former Ghana captain, Stephen Appiah, has called on the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to promptly finalize their plans for the Black Stars' pre-Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) preparations, expressing concerns over the potential distraction caused by the lack of clarity regarding the team's camp venue.
Appiah's plea comes in the wake of a revelation by Evans Opoku Bobie, the Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Youth and Sports, who disclosed that the ministry is unaware of the location where the team will pitch camp ahead of the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast.
In an interview, Bobie stated that the GFA had yet to present its plans to the ministry, leaving critical logistical details unresolved just 33 days before the continental tournament kicks off.
Appiah, speaking to Joy Sports, emphasized the importance of having a clear plan well in advance of the competition to avoid unnecessary distractions for the players.
"[Not knowing where to pitch camp at this point] brings a lot of distraction because, at the end of the day when you are going to a tournament, you want everything to be done ahead of time," he said.
"Here we are, we still don't know the venue where the team will go and camp.
"We hope that whatever is happening, they [GFA] know better. They should finalise everything so the boys will go to camp in peace. They will represent Ghana well in Cote d'Ivoire and we will see what they will come out with."
The 2023 AFCON will kick off on January 13 and conclude on February 11, 2024.