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Coach Kwesi concerned by fitness levels of Cubs
Good times. New Cubs coach Kwesi (L) enjoys a light training moment with U-17 player Rogers Mugisha at the Njeru Technical Centre yesterday. PHOTO BY FUFA MEDIA
What you need to know:
- Kwesi, who has had stints with Heart of Lions, Inter Allies FC, Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko SC in his largely illustrious career, believes some of these players can follow the paths of Sulley Muntari, Kwadwo Asamoah, and Dominic Adiyiah he help transcend on the European ladder - if they put in hard work.
Kampala. Newly appointed Cubs (U-17) and Hippos (U-20) coach Samuel Paa Kwesi Fabin returned to commence duties with his own fitness coach Osei-Owusu after he highlighted low fitness levels as the team’s major Achilles Heel.
To begin with, The Ghananian has less than three weeks to prepare his charges for the Tanzania Afcon U-17 tournament.
Kwesi, who led Ghana to the final of the U17 Afcon in Gabon in 2017 and also guided the team to the Fifa U17 World Cup in India in 2017, is currently monitoring and creating a rapport with the players in the residential camp at Fufa Technical Centre, Njeru as he plans for the 10-day residential camp due in South Africa.
“In my observation, if we work a little harder, this team will get results,” he revealed. Kwesi is grateful for the techinical work done in the interim by assistant coach Jackson Magera but has put emphasis in heightening the players’ fitness levels if Uganda is to jostle with former winners Nigeria, hosts Tanzania and unpredictable Angola for the two World Cup slots.
“Out of my own resources I’m bringing in my own fitness coach (Derrick Owusu) and he will gradually improve the fitness levels of the team that I watched via YouTube while playing Tanzania,” he revealed in a recent interview.
Kwesi, who has had stints with Heart of Lions, Inter Allies FC, Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko SC in his largely illustrious career, believes some of these players can follow the paths of Sulley Muntari, Kwadwo Asamoah, and Dominic Adiyiah he help transcend on the European ladder - if they put in hard work.
2019 U-17 AFCON groups
Group A
Tanzania
Nigeria
Angola
Uganda
Group B
Guinea
Cameroon
Morocco
Senegal
Kwesi at a glance
Names: Samuel Paa Kwesi Fabin
Born: Oct 12, 1958 (60)
Nationality: Ghana
Qualification: UEFA Pro Licence
Favourite system: 4-2-3-1
Teams managed
Ghana Asante Kotoko (Feb 25, 2018)
- (Sep 13, 2018)
Ghana U17 (Feb 1, 2015)
- (Oct 24, 2017)
Ghana Inter Allies (Jan 4, 2015)
- (Jan 31, 2015)
Hearts of Oak (Jul 1, 2012)
- (Jun 30, 2014)
Asante Kotoko (Aug 1, 2009)
- (Jun 30, 2012)
Heart of Lions (Jul 1, 2006)
- (Jul 31, 2009)
