Source: isports360.com | December 13, 2018
Bank of Ghana’s pride, Exchequers Hockey Club will be among Ghana’s four team contingent at the 2018 Africa Cup for Club Champions to be staged in Abuja, Nigeria. The 2018 GAHA league champions are back to the continental stage after placing fifth in 2016 – Nairobi, Kenya.
The team has trained and well prepared for the championship and isports360 caught up with Coach Attipoe after their last training session in Ghana before setting off.
Isport: Congrats Coach on winning the GAHA league and also a qualification slot to Africa. How is the feeling like?
Richmond Attipoe (RA): Thank you very much. It wasn’t an easy one but we were able to achieve. It’s a great feeling on winning the league and also back to Africa.
Isports: How prepared is Exchequers for Africa?
R.A: We are more prepared than ever. We have been training, planning and dreaming of this day and here we have it. It’s an honour to represent Ghana and we are so privileged to be part. We started training from the beginning of this year after narrowly missing out last season. We are very ready for Africa.
Isports : How do you assess the mental state and physical fitness of your players?
The players are in a good state. Most of them have been to the ACCC, Hockey World League and numerous international competitons, hence they are at ease and relaxed mentally. The players are physically fit, taking part in all training sessions with no injuries recorded.
Isports : Do you feel pressurized as a Coach?
R.A: Not at all. I’m someone who really likes working under pressure because it makes me deliver. The pressure will always come heading into tournaments of this sort but for me I’m calm and always deliver.
Isports: Are we seeing new stars and if yes, which of them will deliver?
R.A: Benjamin Kwofie is the name and I urge all teams to watch out for him. I promised to register him last season and I honored my word, gave him the opportunity and he delivered during the league.
Isports : Which of the clubs will pose a threat to Exchequers?
R.A: All the clubs present. I don’t want to single out any club because if you do so, the players become complacent when playing with the so called ‘weak teams’. Every team here is a champion and a threat and we will treat them as such.
Coach Richmond Attippoe together with his able technical team released the 18-man squad heading for Abuja.
Squad in full :
Goalkeepers: Tyche Duisberg and Dontoh Simon.
Outfield players: Osmanu Mohammed, Akaba Elikem, Arthur Ebenezer, Ofori Isaac, Obeng Emmanuel, Asante Alexander, Nyarko Nicholas, Akaba Elorm, Apronti Sylvester, Adams John, Ankomah Emmanuel, Osei Maxwell, Dzotsi Eric, Kwofie Benjamin, Bempah Daniel Nana and Mensah Samuel.
The team left the country on Monday 10th December, 2018.
The 2018 ACCC will be staged in Abuja, Nigeria from 15th December – 22nd December, 2018 at the National Stadium, Abuja.
