FIFA WC 2022: What matters is knowing who your opponents are – Didi Dramani speaks on Ghana’s chances in Group H

Technical team member of the Black Stars of Ghana, Mas-Ud Didi Dramani has been speaking on Ghana’s chances of advancing from the Group stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup finals in Qatar, having been drawn in Group H along with Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea.

Didi Dramani, a member of the 4-member interim technical team who led the Black Stars to secure a qualification to the World Cup in Qatar after beating perennial West African rivals Nigeria, is not interested in discussing whether or not Ghana had a moderate or difficult draw, saying, what matters is for each country to know who their opponents are in their respective groups and to prepare for them.

Ghana face lots of reunions in their Group H, where they face Uruguay, a side they lost to by 4-2 on penalties after extra time 1-1 draw in the quarter final stage of the 2010 World Cup, as well as Portugal, a side they lost to by 2-1 in Group G of the group stage at the Brazil 2014 finals.

On the other hand, Ghana defeated South Korea 4-0 in their final World Cup warm-up match before heading to Brazil back in 2014. The two sides have however not met at the World Cup finals before, and will face each other for the first time at the world stage in Qatar.

Speaking to ghanasportspage.com on the subject matter of whether would have it easy, moderate or difficult qualifying from the group considering the history behind the familiar foes she faces in Group H, Didi Dramani insists that there is no country that would consider opponents as cheap or too difficult to face.

“To be honest with you I think the way I feel is the same way other coaches will be thinking about”, Didi began. “There is no draw that will come of which any coach would have any expectation; you just expect that you are going to be drawn against three other countries to form a group, and based on that then you begin planning. And so every coach’s thought would just be the same as I’m thinking”, he said.

According to the 2012-2013 First Capital Plus Premier League coach of the year, it is extremely difficult to determine which country would be the best opponent for a team to face, and that what matters is to know who your opponents are and begin preparations towards them.

“No coach would have been thinking of meeting any other part because it’s difficult to know which country is the best team to have in a group; all that you need to know is to know your opponent and begin to plan around your opponent”, he maintained.

Photo Credit: GFA