Guinea has unveiled its list of players for the FIFA World Cup dates in Saudi Arabia from March 18 to 26. 22 players, including 13 from the local league, have been selected. A first in decades.Everyone in Conakry has their say.
Quarter-finalists at the last AFCON in Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, like most other nations, will be on deck during this break. Guinea will face Vanuatu on March 21 and Curacao on March 25. For this training camp, the duo Souleymane Camara "Abedi" and Sékou Soumah "Diego" will lead the selection under the supervision of coach Kaba Diawara. A novelty in the ranks of the Syli national. Everyone has their own comments. Sports journalist Amadou Major Diallo is delighted with the initiative. "It's very good news. It's great to see a majority of the Syli squad represented by players who shine on the local scene. It's a first," explains the journalist. He continues: "These players have the opportunity to prove that they have value and that they can do something," concludes Amadou Major Diallo.
Morlaye Sylla returns
For this truce, all the Syli's key players have been sidelined.While players such as Naby Keïta and Serhou Guirassy are absent, Morlaye Sylla is back. The Arouca (D1-Portugal) player, sidelined since the friendly against Brazil in June 2023, is making his comeback. "It's great to see players like Mamadou Kané and Morlaye back with the Syli. Morlaye Sylla has an opportunity to redeem himself. The fans have been clamoring for him. I hope he'll put himself at the service of the team," hopes Aboubacar Sylla, a Syli fan. "Maybe he'll come back because Kaba Diawara isn't in charge (...) But to play against Brazil in June and then find ourselves facing Vanuatu and Curacao is a disappointment for us Syli fans. We feel like we're going backwards.We were expecting to face some of the continent's or the world's top teams," says Aboubacar Sylla.
A card to play for the locals
The Guinean squad led by the duo Souleymane Camara and Sékou Soumah includes a number of players from the league, and not the least.Not least last season's best player.For Yarouga Camara, these are the best players of the moment."The championship is well represented. We have last season's best player, Ousmane Dramé Fernandez, who is one of the greatest hopefuls of Guinean soccer. He's been putting in one good performance after another and this season, the two top scorers in the league, Moussa Moise Camara and Mohamed Lala Keita, have also been included. The best of the moment have been taken.I hope they'll be up to the challenge," says the sports journalist.
Mohamed Lamine Soumah and Jules Kéita.
While these choices are appreciated, others raise questions.Jules Keita and Mohamed Lamine Soumah "Maldini", who have only played two and one match respectively since the start of the season with AS Kaloum, will be on the Saudi tour.In response to the outcry, Souleymane Camara "Abedi" was keen to calm things down. "I'm the one who made the list when I was called up.I took them on, not because they were recommended to me.I made the list and I take responsibility for it," says the coach. He continues: "I think it's a way of attracting others who are in Europe and not playing.We must first encourage those who have the initiative to return," says Souleymane Camara "Abédi".Yarouga Camara, for his part, points to a management strategy put in place by the Federation. "There have been discussions about these cases.
This is management. After their experience in Europe, which didn't go so well, we had to encourage young players in the same situation to come back to the country to get back on their feet," says the journalist.However, other players who have been in the thick of things since the start of the season should have been on the list, says the paper."Players like Bachir Bangoura ''Vinicius'' of Milo FC, with his 3 goals and 5 assists, should have been included.As should Mohamed Saliou Bangoura ''Aloba'' of Hafia FC with his 5 goals and 5 assists" regrets Yarouga Camara.
Guinea will face Vanuatu on March 21 and Curaçao on March 24 in the FIFA competition. Under the supervision of Guinean coach Kaba Diawara, local players have the opportunity to prove they deserve a place in the Syli squad.
