Ghana's 55-man provisional squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has been revealed, and notably absent are any players from Hearts of Oak, one of the country's historically successful football clubs.
The announcement, made on Wednesday, has stirred controversy, leaving fans of the club worried and prompting scrutiny of the selection criteria employed.
The squad, which features 11 home-based players, emphasizes reigning Ghanaian champions Medeama, who boast five representatives. This serves as a testament to their commendable campaign in the CAF Champions League. Dreams FC and Great Olympics contribute two players each, while newly promoted Nation FC and traditional powerhouse Kotoko are represented by one player each, with midfielder Richmond Lamptey earning a call-up.
However, the complete absence of any Hearts of Oak players is raising eyebrows, leaving fans perplexed and concerned about the current state of the club. The unexpected exclusion of highly-rated Hearts of Oak player Ibrahim Salifu, despite widespread expectations of his selection, has intensified scrutiny of the criteria used for national team player selection.
The provisional squad, currently consisting of 55 players, will undergo further pruning to form the final 27-man roster that will represent Ghana in the prestigious tournament.
Ghana's AFCON group stage matches are set to kick off with a clash against Cape Verde on January 14, followed by encounters with Egypt and Mozambique.