Ghana 2008 Fever Grips Sekondi

CONTRARY TO perceptions that the Ghana 2008 football fiesta fever has not caught up with Ghanaians, a section of the population in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis are in the Nations Cup mood.

Most of them have decorated themselves with paraphernalia in the national colours apparently in support of the senior national team, the Black Stars.

Market women at the Takoradi market circle have put on head gears, wrist bands, necklaces, caps and earrings made in the national colours, while some taxi drivers and landlords have also decorated their cars and buildings respectively in the national colours.

Dealers in the assorted commodities for the football tournament are also doing brisk business in the metropolis by selling all sorts of Ghana 2008 T-shirts, bandanas, wrist bands, mini umbrellas and caps among others.

When DAILY GUIDE SPORTS interacted with some of the football fans in the metropolis, they were very optimistic that Ghana would win the trophy come February 10, 2008.

Mrs. Agnes Tetteh, a dealer in assorted clothes at the Takoradi central market who was in the national colours, indicated that she was sad to hear that the captain of the Black Stars, Stephen Appiah would not feature in the tournament because of a leg injury.

She then called on all Ghanaians to pray for the national team particularly the technical personnel, for God's guidance to select efficient and effective players for the tournament so that Appiah's absence would not be felt in the games.

In response to which team was her favourite among the Group B teams pitching camp in the twin-city, she fell for Cote d'Ivoire citing its proximity to and relationship with the people of Western Region.

Mr. Ebo Daniels, a tailor at Kwesimintsim also mentioned that the Black Stars should take a clue from countries that had previously hosted the tournament and won the trophy, stressing that the players should play their hearts out to ensure the trophy was presented to Ghana.

“Since the country hosted the African Cup of Nations in 1978 and won it, I believe it will be ours so that history can repeat itself this year,” Mr. Daniels remarked.

Meanwhile, DAILY GUIDE SPORTS SPORTS has gathered that scores of Ivorian football fans have arrived in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis and that many are expected to join them as the tournament approaches.

Almost all hotels and guests houses in the twin-city are fully-booked for the football fiesta with a hotel manager confidently telling this paper: “We too shall have some dollars this season, though our hotel is small but decent”.

From Mark Essien & Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi