Bashir Hayford’s absence will not affect Black Princesses – Coach

Edna Yeke, assistant coach of the Black Princesses says the absence of  head coach Bashir Hayford will not affect the  preparations of the team ahead of their World Cup qualifier with Guinea Bissau on Friday.

The Princesses are forced to fine tune preparations without Hayford, who is busy with his club side, AshGold who played at the weekend and has a midweek fixture on Wednesday, two days before the game.

Yeke told GNA Sports that “The absence of coach Hayford will not contribute to any poor performance from the players. I communicate with him every day to inform him on the players’ training.”

The Princesses begin a journey for a third successive World Cup campaign against Guinea Bissua on Friday, with the return leg fixed for the weekend of November 8-10 and Yeke, is convinced her charges will come good on Friday.

“I think the players are poised and prepared psychologically ahead of the clash. We have quality players emerging from the U-17 and U-20 who have gained exposure outside and can deliver.”

She said the team that has retained about 80 per cent of the players that exited at the group stage in the last edition of the World Cup hosted by Japan in 2012 had minimal injury worries.

“The team has little injuries. The field at Prampram is not all that good so some of the girls are having problems but the physiotherapists are working on them”.

Ghana appears favourite for the Friday duel.

Source: GNA