Andy Gray has business interests in Sierra Leone

Gray told the BBC: "I won't be coaching them, I'll be using some of my contacts in football to put them on the map."

"I am the captain of the ship and I will be getting the best people in the business to try and help me."

Gray hopes that the likes of Fulham's Liam Rosenior and West Ham's Nigel Reo-Coker will play for Sierra Leone.

Both are currently England Under-21 internationals but Gray said: "Reo-Coker is eligible to play for Sierra Leone, as is Steve Kabba of Sheffield United and Liam Rosenior at Fulham, plus a few more scattered around Europe.

"This is what has enticed me to try to get these guys to come and help Sierra Leone football.

I want to put the pride back in the country. That is my aim - to put a smile on people's faces Andy Gray

"Because if they are not going to get an international career with England, they might as well play African Nations Cup football.

"That was the carrot for me. This is not a gimmick.

"The players are there and if we bring a professional attitude to the country, then I have got to try and entice them."

Reo-Coker's father works as a doctor in Sierra Leone and, despite captaining the England Under-21s, the midfielder is reported to have recently said that he would consider switching his allegiance.

Under Fifa regulations players who are not full internationals can switch allegiance up to the age of 21.

Gray is also aiming to get former Spurs and England stars Les Ferdinand and Paul Gascoigne involved in the project.

He wants to install former stars to help the country achieve its aim and has pinpointed the likes of Ferdinand, Gascoigne and Ian Wright, among others, as potential coaches.

"There has to be a base of locals but I would love to get hold of Gascoigne and some of the experience he's had in the game," added Gray, who has business interests in Sierra Leone.

"I just want to put the pride back into the country. They just came out of a civil war a couple of years ago.

"I am not trying to be a martyr or anything, but if there is a chance to bring the people together, then there is nothing better than football to do that.

"That is my aim really, to put a smile on people's faces."

Sierra Leone are in a group along with Benin, Mali and World Cup finalists Togo for the qualfying campaign ahead of the tournament, which is being held in Ghana in 2008.