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29.09.2010 Football News

Past lessons fuel Manso's target

29.09.2010 LISTEN
By GNA

Accra, Sept. 28, GNA - Black Starlets coach, Frimpong Manso is banking heavily on past experiences in his quest to guide the team through to the Rwanda 2011 CAF U-17 Championship.

The Starlets will face their Senegalese counterparts at the final round of the qualifying series for the biennial tournament, and Manso is convinced lessons from the past will be crucial to his team's chances.

Coach Manso, a member of the technical team of the Starlets squad that were bundled out of the qualifying series by their Gambian counterparts at the last hurdle two years ago, told GNA Sports at the team's training camp at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram, that he has been toughened by experience.

"I have learnt some lessons from the previous experiences and lessons will serve as a guide to our chances."

The former Black Stars defender said that he is the least haunted by that record and is bent on overturning the tables this time round.

The Starlets trainer also quashed reports that hosting the first leg will serve as an impediment in their qualifying bid whilst making reference to the last qualifiers.

"Most people say when you play at home first, it is a disadvantage. In 2008 we won 3-1 at home, which was a good result; but we lost 2-0 in the second leg and were kicked out.

"We are not perturbed by that belief and are focused on our qualification."

On the Senegalese, he observed that he has very little knowledge about them, but claimed that it will not serve as a stumbling block to their ambitions of making a representation at the biggest stage of cadet football of the continent.

The Starlets hosts the first leg on November 6 before traveling to Dakar in a fortnight for the return encounter.

Rwanda will host the final championship from January 7-22, 2011.

GNA

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