Larry putting his heart into Nations Cup

By BARRY ANDERSON
HEARTS supporters have a vested interest in this year's African Nations Cup with Larry Kingston hoping to inspire Ghana, the host country, to victory.
The tournament begins tomorrow at the refurbished Ohene Djan Stadium in Accra, the capital city, when Ghana entertain Bobo Balde's Guinea in the opening game. Kingston is almost over an ankle injury which originally placed his participation in doubt, but he expects to play at least some part.

Nicknamed the Black Stars, Ghana are favourites to win the competition outright. Their opponents in Group A also include Namibia and Morocco but they can expect a stern challenge during the latter stages from Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Nigeria.

Tynecastle regulars, though, may be preoccupied with their midfielder's long-term fitness rather than his nation's expectations.

Kingston's talismanic qualities have endeared him to supporters over the last 12 months since he initially arrived in Scotland on loan from the Chechen club Terek Grozny. His popularity in Edinburgh hasn't been far from his mind in recent weeks whilst on a training camp with the Ghana squad in Abu Dhabi.

"I think my club is worried about my health as well but after the tournament I will be fit to play for Hearts," he said. "I'm responding to treatment and hopefully I'm going to make the opening game.

"I'm doing fine now. I'm training with the team but sometimes I have a little pain in the ankle. That's normal when you are coming back from injury. When you start training again you can feel sore but I think I'll be fit. I will go through this situation and hopefully come out 100 per cent. This tournament is very important for me and the nation. It's a very big tournament for the whole continent. Every player in Africa wants to play in this kind of competition."

Kingston and Ghana have endured turbulent preparations for the Nations' Cup after being kicked out of their pre-booked hotel in Accra. Upon returning from Abu Dhabi, the squad found their booking had been cancelled due to profiteering, the hotel seemingly determined to free up rooms and cash in on the tourism boost brought by being African Nations' Cup hosts.

Some hotels in Accra are charging up to $300 a night between now and the tournament's conclusion on February 10. Following the accommodation problems, Ghana head coach Claude le Roy has done sterling work to ensure the squad's focus remains fixed on footballing matters.

"It's a very difficult game against Guinea," explained Andre Ayew, the 18-year-old son of Ghanaian footballing legend Abedi Pele. "They have strong players with good technique. They are good for African football but they can create a lot of trouble for us. We are also a great team and, if we treat the match as normal, we have the confidence that no team can worry us at home. We should just be happy at the moment because everything is coming together at the right time for Ghana."

A season-ending knee injury makes captain Stephen Appiah, pictured left, who plies his trade with Fenerbahce in Turkey, a notable absentee from the Ghana side, but Kingston personally put measures in place some time ago to ensure a worthwhile deputy is on standby.

"Quincy Owusu-Abeyie is a very good player," said the Hearts midfielder. "I met him in Russia when I played against him for Lokomotiv Moscow against Spartak Moscow. I told him, 'my friend, I know you are a good player and I know you are from Ghana. I hope you can be in the national team' (Quincy was eligible to play for the Netherlands].

"He said he was happy to come and play for the Black Stars so I got his number and passed it to the team management. I talked to the management and they started following him. I was very happy when I heard the news he could play for Ghana. He's a good player and is going to help us, especially because he can fit in Stephen Appiah's role."

The tension amongst Ghana's footballing community has reached fever-pitch in anticipation of tomorrow's opening ceremony. Four previous Nations' Cup victories in 1963, 1965, 1978, and 1982 denote them as the second most successful team in competition history. As son of Pele – a three-time African Footballer of the
Year and pioneer of African football in Europe – Ayew might be expected to be feeling more pressure than most. If he is, he hides it well. "I want to play now, I want to show what I can do," he said. "It's not about the family tradition but if I can make it another Ayew to play in the African Nations Cup it would be great for us. I am proud of myself because to be part of this 23-man squad is something huge. For me to be here at this age proves I work very hard since the beginning of the season to prove I can make it. Now I have made it. I just thank God I wasn't injured like some other players."

Missing a major tournament due to injury can be intolerable for footballers, so Kingston is probably more grateful than anyone at Tynecastle for the improvement in his fitness. Hearts, though, will only be properly thankful when their talisman lands back at Edinburgh airport in mid-February.

Taken from the Scotsman