Sunshine Stars FC of Akure Head Coach, Samuel Abimbola has expressed optimism that the team would pick a ticket to play in the continent at the end of the 2012/2013 season.

Speaking ahead of the pre-season tournament beginning in Akure this weekend, the former National U-17 and U-20 assistant coach said the tournament being put together by the Ondo State Football Agency is another opportunity to enable them assess their newly recruited players and prepare adequately for the new season,

"Our target is to get back to the continent at the end of the season. You know we have been there twice, and at both occasions we played up to the semi finals. Our target now, is to get the best of players, who are young and energetic, and ready to work and play to instructions. "This pre-season tournament will enable us assess those that we have pencilled down, and know other areas where we would need to fortify before the season begins", Abimbola stated.

He further revealed that the tournament would involve teams like Enyimba, Heartland, 3SC, COD, Gateway among others "these are teams we would play against in the League, we would use this opportunity to assess our new recruits, to ascertain their level of preparedness to move ahead with us".

He was full of appreciation for the organizers of the tournament which is in honour of the State Governor Olusegun Mimiko.