Satelites To Have Their Day With Prez Gbagbo

President of Cote d'Ivoire, Laurent Gbagbo

The President of Cote d’Ivoire, Laurent Gbagbo, has made good his promise to give the national U-20 team, Black Satellites, a presidential reception at the Ivorian capital for winning the World Cup.

An Ivorian Presidential jet is expected in Accra on December 28 to fly the team to Abidjan where each member of the team will be honoured.

The Ivorian leader at the weekend confirmed the invitation of the entire Ghanaian contigent which played in the FIFA U-17 World Cup competition in Egypt in a letter to the Ghana Football Association.

President Gbagbo on a recent working visit to the Castle at Osu in Accra, Ghana's capital, singled out the Satellites for praise following their conquest at the FIFA World Cup, saying, the feat was a proud moment for Africa and said in his recognition of the achievement of the team, he, on behalf of the people of Cote d’Ivoire, was extending an invitation to the team to his country.

Mr. Jordan Anagbla, Chairman of the Black Satellites Management Committee, confirming the departure date in an interview with the Graphic Sports, said the invitation was for a day.

Details of the intenary for the visit were not disclosed in the correspondence, but it was clear that the team will be flown back to Accra the same day.

According to him, the management team had begun preparations for the visit to ensure that every member of the 34- member contingent that was in Egypt made the trip.

He said most of the players who played in the competition are set for the trip, except those who will make the final Black Stars squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola which kicks off in January.

Black Stars Coach Milovan Raejevac a couple of weeks ago invited some members of the victorious Black Satellites squad, namely Dominic Adiyiah, Dan Addo, Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu and goalkeeper Sammy Adjei for consideration into the Nations Cup squad.

“Any of the players who finally makes it to the Black Stars who will then be busy, will automatically be ruled out, just as those foreign-based players who will not spend christmas in Ghana,” Anagbla stated. Share Your Thoughts on this article Name Email Location Comments Graphic Ghana may edit your comments and not all comments will be published