Local based players must be consistent to earn Black Stars call ups- Ghana coach Akonnor

Published on: 05 March 2020
Local based players must be consistent to earn Black Stars call ups- Ghana coach Akonnor
CK Akonnor

 

Ghana coach Charles Kwabla Akunnor has urged locally-based players to improve their performances in order to be considered for selection into the national team.

Akonnor made mention of this during his first meeting with the press on Tuesday where he announced his 23-man squad ahead of the doubleheader against Sudan for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

“It is important to encourage local players. The last time I checked it was three and now it’s four. They (local-based players) have to be consistent with their performances so they can be called into the team”, he said at the meeting.

Assistant coach David Duncan, who was tasked with the duty of monitoring players on the local scene also shared the same opinion with head coach Charles Akunnor and said more players were not invited into the national team because of the fewer games played in the Ghana Premier League.

Akonnor was also quizzed on why Asante Kotoko midfielder Justice Blay was not selected into the team. In his response, he stated the player missed his squad due to ill health.

“For justice Blay he didn't make the squad because he was sick at the time and he only recently got back. I can assure that in the future he will get a chance. His time will come"

The locally-based players to be handed call ups are Hearts of Oak’s goalkeeper Richard Attah, AshantiGold defender Kwadwo Amoako, Habib Mohammed of Asante Kotoko and Yahaya Mohammed who makes a return to the team after a long absence.

Four debutants were also named in the squad, Richard Attah (Hearts), Kwadwo Amoako (AshantiGold), Habib Mohammed(Asante Kotoko) and Eugene Ansah(Hapoel Ra’anna, Isreal).

Below is the full list of players

Goalkeepers: Richard Ofori(Maritzburg, South Africa), Razark Abalorah(Azam, Tanzania) Richard Attah(Hearts of Oak, Ghana)

Defenders: Kwadwo Amoako(AshantiGold, Ghana), Andy Yiadom(Reading, England), Gideon Mensah(Waregem, Belgium) , Nicholas Opoku(Amiens, France), Joseph Aidoo(Celta Vigo, Spain), Kasim Nuhu (Fortuna Düsseldorf, Germany) and Habib Mohammed(Asante Kotoko, Ghana)

Midfielders: Mubarak Wakaso (Jiangsu Suning, China), Alfred Duncan (Fiorentina, Italy) , Thomas Partey (Atletico Madrid, Spain) Kudus Mohammed (Nordsjaelland, Denmark), Iddrisu Baba(Mallorca, Spain) Andre Ayew (Swansea, England)

Forwards: Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace, England), Richmond Boakye- Yiadom(Crvena zvezda, Serbia), Eugene Ansah (Hapoel Ra’anna, Isreal), Yahaya Mohammed (Aduana Stars, Ghana)

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