It is one thing having a dream, and another making it happen.

The above adage echoes the sentiments of Ghana Football Association(GFA) president Mr Kwesi Nyantakyi's slogan (dream) for the Ghana 2008 tourney "Host and win." Mr Nyantakyi's dream of hosting a successful tourney and crowing it with the ultimate silverware is a brilliant one but until determination, sacrifice and proper planning is held in high esteem it will perpetually remain a dream.

After watching the team in the just ended Four-Nation tourney involving Ghana (winners), Benin Togo and United Arab Emirates at the Ohene Djan Stadium, I realized that realizing the FA boss' dream will require every hand on deck.

Most soccer lovers will agree with me that the Stars hardly demonstrated the glittering performance that won them the heart of many during the Germany 2006 World Cup. And that brought to mind the where about of midfielders Eric Addo, Derek Boateng, left full back Habib Hohammed (recovered from injury) just to mention a few.

The trio played impactfully in Germany and if Mr Nyantakyi's dream will come to pass, then the earlier Coach Claude Le Roy consider them CAN 2008 candidates the brighter our chances of keeping the FA boss' dream alive. The team paid dearly for Adoquaye Pappoe's ineffectiveness at the left full back position, however the introduction of Habib made a lot of difference by virtue of the fact that he is a natural left footer.

I foresee ((Not a prophet of doom) Hans Adu Sarpei facing an arduous task handling swift wingers in the statures of (the John Smith Bannermans, Ebo Smiths, Isaac Ayipeys, Kelvin Essiens, Thomas Boakyes, Kenneth Sarpongs) if he gains first shirt in the forthcoming tourney. I have nothing against the Bundesliga star but for the simple reason that he is not a natural left footer pushes him to the wall.

Former left fullbacks as Ofei Ansah, Kwesi Appiah, Joe Odoi, Isaac Asare were exceptions, although they were right footers, they handled the left full back position with little struggle. But the same cannot be said of Sarpei , Samuel Osei Kuffuor, Gabriel Issah Ahmed, Michael Ofosu Appiah (CID) should be invited to fortify our defense for the sake of mother Ghana.

We need "big boys" in defense to handle the "big boys" From Nigeria, Cote d' Ivoire, Cameroun, Mali, Guinea, among others. Indeed, but for our inexperience in attack, would have gone far in Germany, a player as Emmanuel Osei Kufuor (General) would have converted most of the chances that came the way of our strikers, but some will argue that he is an 'old man.' The efforts of goalkeeper Richard Kingson, libero John Mensah, Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari skipper Stephen Appiah in midfield as well as those in attack will come to naught if measures are not taking to compliment the efforts of the defense Minister (Mensah).

For me, Ofosu Appiah is one of the finest right full backs to happen to Ghana football in recent times. Endowed with great pace and strength, his features reminds one of great right full backs as Jorginho (formerly of Bayern Munich), Ernest Appau, Hope Sewornu, Isaac Eshun (Naana Eshun),among others. The players eschewing complacency will also enhance the realization of the "Host and win dream."

I saw that in the Ghana-Benin game during the Four-Nation competition and before the Stars found their rhythm they were trailing 0-2 before home crowd. Anxiety crept in along the line and that saw the free flow Ghanaian play vanishing into thin air, giving way to an uncharacteristic rough play. And key performers like Muntari, Essien, Laryea Kingson and Mensah nearly found themselves in the bad books of the Nigerian FIFA referee Emmanuel Imiere. Winning the ultimate is in sight considering the benefits that goes with hosting a tournament, but that dream will not come on a silver platter unless we do our homework well.

Sacrifice on the part of the players should be the watch word, that is to say apart from going the extra mile tactically, unnecessary remarks to referees should be a thing of the past. The players should not forget that no matter how far they have reached in their careers, the referee remains the man in charge until the game is over. All stakeholders especially corporate bodies should flex massive financial muscles for the team to use as springboards to make Mr Nyantakyi's dream a reality.