Immediate-past Sports Minister Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuije is demanding credit for the early success of the Black Stars at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with GHOne TV Sports, the Member of Parliament for Odododiodoo claims he put in all the preparatory measures that got coach Avram Grant’s side to reach the quarterfinal stage with a game to spare in Group D.
He argues that he came under vilification for some measures he put in place during the Black Stars’ preparations, adding that his actions which if backfired would have seen him receive bashing from the football fraternity, should be accorded due credit as the team is on course to ending the country’s 35-year Afcon trophy wait.
“I’ve been fasting and praying that things should go well for the Black Stars. It is my hope and prayer that when it goes well with the Black Stars, people who have been vilifying me will give the credit to me because I did all the work. I prepared the team.
“If the Black Stars had failed, I’m sure that everybody will be saying… even before they left, some of the GFA people were saying that they’ve not had enough preparation because the Minister did not give them all that they are looking for.
“So the issue is that any failure will be ascribed to me; I’m expecting them the same way that the glory and success there will also be ascribed to me,” Nii Lante said.
The Black Stars have won their two games against Uganda and Mali and will face Egypt Wednesday evening.
The Ghana-Egypt Group D game is live on GHOne TV at 7pm. Pre-match discussions starts 30 minutes earlier.
