‘Lower expectations, Black Stars rebuilding needs time’ – Gyan to fans

Ex-Ghana skipper Asamoah Gyan has urged football fans to manage their expectations of the Black Stars despite qualification for the 2022 World Cup, since the senior national team is still not a finished article and needs time to gel.

After an embarrassing 2021 Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Cameroon, Otto Addo took over from Milovan Rajevac to rebuild the Black Stars with notable adjustments to personnel and tactics.

The Borussia Dortmund talent coach led Ghana to book a ticket for the Qatar 2022 tournament after qualifying past Nigeria on the away goal rule in March.

Regardless of the recent feat, the former Sunderland and Al Ain striker explains high expectations would place the players under undue pressure that could affect their concentration, which should be fixed on building a team with cohesion ahead of the mundial.

“For me, my advice is to lower our expectations for now and then build the new team. We know we are Ghana, and we have done it before, but maybe the players who are not involved are not ready enough, so we should give them time to make sure they get there. It is very difficult when you put pressure, so the fans have to be calm,” Gyan said on the Joy FM Super Morning Show on Monday.

According to the GFA Boss Kurt Okraku, the Black Stars will use the upcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in June and September to continue building a competitive Black Stars team for the World Cup, which will be tested with at least two friendly matches before the World Cup, which kicks off in November.

Ghana has been pitted in Group H of the mundial alongside Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea.