Michel Dussuyer- We are ready to add on to the great start to the tournament - 2009

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Michel Dussuyer- We are ready to add on to the great start to the tournament

01-24-2012

Michel Dussuyer- We are ready to add on to the great start to the tournament

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Cafonline.com caught up with Guinea coach Michel Dussuyer at the team hotel complex in Moanda, Gabon and took time to look ahead at their opening game against Mali on Tuesday. Group D matches kick off in Franceville, Gabon with Ghana versus Botswana before Mali takes on Dussuyer’s Guinea in the second game.

Cafonline.com: How are your preparations going here in Moanda and what do you make of the camp?

Dussuyer: All is well for us and we are very satisfied with the facilities here. This is a good training camp, we can have a rest, we are not disturbed, and it’s a quiet place. The only problem is that is it an hour’s drive away from the match venue but we just have to prepare with that in mind and l know it’s the same conditions every team in our group is in similar situation

Cafonline.com: In your group the talk is that who will accompany Ghana to the quarter finals is that how you see it especially after the games we have seen so far?

Dussuyer : Competition is competition and l know Ghana is the favourites to win this group and it is a great team and after them the picture looks like the second spot is going to be a fight between us and Mali but l would not rule out Botswana . Botswana played good football to be here and were the surprise team in the qualifiers. We have already seen with results like Zambia beating Senegal which surprised me. It will be tough to qualify to the next stage as this group D is a difficult one. We have to take it one game at a time for us, so we prepare for Mali first then we fight and

Cafonline.com: Does this make your first game against Mali the most crucial match then?

Dussuyer: Each game is very important and since it is a short tournament you only have three games in the groups’ stage. Having said that the first game is crucial for all the teams and perhaps especially for us because it is against Mali and getting a good start is vital. You always want to have a good start and it is important for confidence to have points from the first game. We know it will be a tough fight against Mali but my players are ready for competition now and the mood in the camp is good.

Cafonline.com: Guinea has got to the quarters the last three times, what is your realistic goal this time round?

Dussuyer: Our first target is to get past the first round and as l said it is a difficult group and we have to work hard to get to the quarter final stage and after that let’s see what happens.

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