LeRoy confident despite loss of Appiah

Ghana coach Claude LeRoy has called on Black Stars' fans to help his team win the African Cup of Nations despite the loss of injured captain Stephen Appiah.

“Without our captain, we need the support of our fans more than ever,” the Frenchman says.

“We still want to produce good quality football and all my players will know what is expected of them. We meet soon for our training camp and if we are to win the tournament we must prepare perfectly,” LeRoy added.

Ghana's talismanic captain Stephen Appiah has been ruled out for at least two months with a knee injury and will therefore miss January's tournament.

However, though the Black Stars will lament the loss of Appiah, LeRoy still has an array of talent to choose from in his bid to win the Nations Cup on home soil.

Michael Essien is expected to join the Ghana squad on January 5.

“I want all of my squad with me in the first days of January, and with all of our fans behind us we can do well. I'm especially keen to get my players from the Premier League in England.”

Sulley Muntari (Portsmouth), Michael Essien (Chelsea), John Pantsil (West Ham) and Richard Kingson (Birmingham City) are due to join the Ghana squad soon despite many of their managers hoping to delay their exit from club duties.

LeRoy says their hopes are in vain: “The coaches in England are always complaining about losing their players to the Nations Cup but they have to be with me on January 5.

“There will be no discussion or negotiations over this date - that is the regulation, so even if the clubs offered me billions of dollars this will not change.

“I have to have all my players in the training camp so I can discuss with them our plan for the event,” LeRoy added.