Qatar 2022: We don't care about Ronaldo's Man Utd issues - Otto and Ayew
Black Stars head coach Otto Addo and his skipper Andre Ayew are focused and claiming all three points when they face Portugal in their World Cup opener at the Stadium 974 (formerly known as the Ras Abu Aboud Stadium).
The pair who faced the media yesterday before the tie scheduled for 4 pm (Ghana time) tomorrow said they had no interest in the issues between the Portuguese skipper Cristiano Ronaldo and his former club Manchester United.
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The English Premier League club announced yesterday that the Portuguese veteran was to leave the club with immediate effect - a move analysts believe had thrown a spanner in the works of the Portuguese.
However, Addo will not be drawn into talk about the distractions the announcement may have had on his opponents
“I don’t know and to be honest, I don’t care. It’s not our problem and I don’t think it’s a big problem,” Addo said.
“Everybody wants to win. No matter what happens, it’s a big stage, a big game at the World Cup level, so I don’t think normally this can disrupt anybody.”
Similarly, skipper Andre Ayew who will be making his third appearance of the World Cup said it was not a concern for the Black Stars if Ronaldo's issues were affecting the Portuguese.
“It’s not our problem, but I think they are great professionals. They played for top teams so they will be ready for the World Cup [because] it is the biggest stage. They will be ready for it,” Ayew said.
Acknowledging that the Portuguese were favourites on paper, Ayew maintained that the tie would be decided by the commitment of players on the pitch.
"We go into this game with Portugal favourites on paper. But we have to show that it is more important what happens on the pitch. We are playing a big side with top players, but we believe in ourselves and will make it very difficult for them," he said.
"When you are playing the first game of a tournament it is never the decisive one. Whatever happens, you still have a chance to go through. The first game is one where you can go for it and be brave. It would be a great bonus for us to get something (from the match)."
COURTESY OF THE MINISTRY OF YOUTH AND SPORTS
