Ghana and Arsenal star Thomas Partey is set to be demoted after arriving late to the Ghana camp ahead of their international friendly against Morocco and the Ivory Coast.
Coach C.K Akonnor was left seething with rage after Thomas showed up hours before the team left for Morocco despite being in Ghana for over a week. The former Atletico Madrid man was informed he would not be traveling with the team as preparations had taken place in his absence.
According to sources close to Ghana’s biggest football website GHANAsoccernet.com Akonnor drew the line pointing to an example of a viral video where Edouard Mendy arrived in Senegal’s camps days after helping Chelsea to the UEFA Champions league trophy.
Liverpool star Sadio Mane and Morocco international Hakim Ziyech have all honoured call ups to their national teams despite enjoying more lengthy seasons than Thomas.
Akonnor is said to have been aware Arsenal star Thomas Partey had been seen on social media partying with friends without proper exception while his international mates grafted in Cape Coast Ghana.
This is the first major disciplinary issue coach Akonnor has had to take since being appointed as head of the national team of Ghana almost two years ago and will be hoping that it serves as a wake-up call to all prima donnas in his star-studded team. He’s also said to be considering taking it a step further by relieving Thomas off his duty as one of the assistant captains of the team. A position he's held alongside Orlando Pirates shot stopper Richard Ofori.
In the past-Ghana has suffered from major tournaments due to lack of discipline and Akonnor is said to be taking no hostages when it comes to rules in the national team. During the AFCON in Egypt in 2019, one of the reported reasons for Ghana's ultimate failure was the team's discipline or lack of discipline, a sword Akonnor is desperate not to fall on in Cameroon next January.
Thomas has had a difficult first season with Arsenal in the Premier League but managed 24 league games despite suffering thigh injuries in what was a tough beginning to life in North London and the Premier League.
He is also one of the more experienced players with the national team of Ghana with 31 caps and 10 goals to his name. His absence in the friendly against Morocco will disrupt the team’s experience as Akonnor is already without China based Mubarak Wakaso while Turkey-based Afriyie Acquah hasn’t been called.
In other news captain of the side Andre Ayew joined the team to Morocco but it is yet to be decided if he will play a part in the game having failed to complete a training session since playing in the Championship play-off defeat to Brentford.
The whereabout of winger Tarique Fosu is also unknown as he was not seen in any of the videos of players before they embarked to Morocco.