NO CAUSE FOR ALARM

ANY moment from now the rest of Africa and, indeed, the football world will be heading for Ghana for the 26th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations.
It will be an opportunity for Ghanaians to host the most prestigious football festival in Africa and put at the pleasure of thousands of visitors what is unique about Ghanaian hospitality and tourism.
But beyond the side shows of tourism and hospitality, there is also the Ghanaian desire to win the ultimate prize at stake.
Among other things, that desire is rooted in the fact that since 1982, the Africa Cup, the symbol of supremacy in continental football, has proved an elusive treasure for Ghana.
Added to that is the notion of “host-to-win”, a slogan couched out of the tournament’s recent trend and Ghana’s own history of hosting and winning in 1963 and 1978.
Over the past few days, however, pieces of disturbing news have come from the international network to the effect that Stephen Appiah, the inspirational captain of the Ghanaian team, the Black Stars, and his colleague midfielder, Laryea Kingston, have been ruled out of the tournament due to injuries.
The local reaction to the injury of the two key players has been that of disappointment.
How else would Ghanaians have reacted to such unfortunate news, since Appiah’s skills and commitment have made him stand out as the soul of the Black Stars, with Laryea as one of the team’s most talented and hardworking members?
Understandably, the local media have also joined in the mass grief over the fate of Kingston and Appiah, but we need to caution against over-exaggerating the blow which the absence of the two could deal to the Stars.
The impression gaining ground now seems to suggest that without the two, the Stars could not aspire to anything and the team doomed even before the tournament kicks off.
Any such suggestion has the potential of weakening team morale and undermining the collective spirit upon which football is founded.
As we regret the absence of the two key players in the squad, the Daily Graphic wishes to look at the more positive side of things and affirm our belief in the ability of the other members of the squad to take up the fight.
The essence of teamwork is to create conditions where in the absence of any player, another would be inspired and encouraged to take up the role and deliver for the collective good.
Let us all have the hope that with determination, the Stars shall triumph. President J. A. Kufuor demonstrated that expectation when he said in his New Year message to the nation on Monday that “the whole nation is looking up to the Stars to be victorious and lift the trophy once again. We count on the privileged players to conduct themselves in the true spirit of sportsmanship and high patriotism”.
It is this spirit we salute the Black Stars and urge them on with the feeling of “we can do it.”