I feel a huge responsibility to deliver - Ahly striker Konan - Orange CAF Champions League 2010

News Fixtures Matches & results Groups & standings Clubs Regulations Committee Photos Videos Trophy Past competitions

NEWS

I feel a huge responsibility to deliver - Ahly striker Konan

07-04-2012

I feel a huge responsibility to deliver - Ahly striker Konan

Zoom

Egyptian giants, Al Ahly entertains DR Congo's TP Mazembe as the 2012 Orange CAF Champions League mini-league gets underway this weekend. Cairo Military Academy stadium will be the game venue as Ahly is expected to field some of the new players. One of these is Ivorian born striker Ousso Konan who may get his debut in Ahly colours on Sunday. Konan told Cafonline.com ahead of the weekend match that he hopes to take part in the match which he acknowledges will be a tough encounter.

Cafonline.com: What is the feeling like to join Al Ahly?

Konan: It's a great feeling. I'm thrilled by joining Egypt and one of Africa's biggest club and feel proud that I'll take part beside the brilliant stars that I always enjoyed watching. My teammates at Ahly gave me a very warm welcome and made me feel at home. That has put a very big responsibility on me to prove that I deserve such a move and playing for a team like Ahly.

Cafonline.com: What does it me to you to be the first Ivorian to play for Ahly?

Konan: It's a mixed feeling between happiness, pride and a huge pressure on my shoulders. I have to be in the form that makes me and my country proud that I play in a club voted Africa's Club of the Century. This is a big challenge for me to prove I deserve that. Manager Housam El Badry told me he watched me well through the last season and that he'll rely on me in attack, and I hope to prove him right. I still have a lot of hard work to do to be in top form with my new team.

Cafonline.com: How are your preparations for Mazembe game going?

Konan: I took part in the team's preparatory camp in Turkey. Though I wasn’t there from the beginning because of the transfer negotiations, I benefited from my time there and enjoyed the opportunity to build harmony with my teammates. We resumed training upon returning to Cairo and had a friendly game in which I managed to score which was good and helps me settle in.

Cafonline.com: How do you see the match against TP Mazembe?

Konan: It's going to be a very tough game as TP Mazembe is a good team and have some very talented and well known players. Ahly is still in the pre season phase and are still to gain full game fitness. The start of the competition : (mini-league phase in this case) is always difficult because we got to win to kick off our campaign towards reaching the semi finals.

Cafonline.com: Your group has Zamalek and Ghana's Berekum Chelsea do you think you can make the semi-finals?

Konan: Ahly is a great team and seeks victory whenever they play in any game, and it's normal that we aim to qualify to the semi final of the Champions League. The group is very tough because it includes three of the continent's big guns; Ahly, Zamalek and Mazembe. Berekum Chelsea also proved to be a good team in the previous rounds. But we will do our best to qualify for the semi final as we look to win all our games, starting this weekend.

RESULTS

Click here