Ten reasons why Chelsea ace Baba Rahman deserves the Ghana national team call-up

Published on: 31 October 2020
Ten reasons why Chelsea ace Baba Rahman deserves the Ghana national team call-up
Baba Rahman suffered a career threatening injury in Gabon while playing for GHANA and not Chelsea

The recall of Chelsea defender Baba Rahman was one of the main talking points when Ghana coach Charles CK Akonnor named his squad for the upcoming 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The left-back was yesterday named in the Black Stars squad to play Sudan in the back-to-back qualifiers next month in the match Ghana are most likely to win.

It was the first time the talented player was returning to the national team in one year after some recent injuries disruptive his spirited return to playing at the top level again.

However, his return has geenrated a mixed reaction in Ghana with some saying he doesn't deserve the call-up because he has not been named in the Chelsea 25-man squad for the English Premier League.

But others have offered their strong support for the effiective left-back who has diligently served the country over the years and has been playing for the Chelsea reserves consistently.

Below are the TEN SOLID REASONS why Baba Rahman has been recalled to the Black Stars

  1. The best Ghana left-back: Baba Rahman is the best Ghana left-back at the moment. Gideon Mensah and Lumor Agyenyenu are the other most competent players in that position but given his Baba's experience at the highest level both at club level and international level, he is the best player in that position.
  2. Chelsea have more options than Ghana: The fact that he has not been considered in the Chelsea squad for the league does not mean he can't be the best choice for Ghana. The Blues might have riches in that position that Ghana doesn't have therefore a player who wont fit into their squad, might be the best for our country. At a point John Mensah and Partey were benched by their clubs in Europe but they were the best for Ghana and they played effectively.
  3. Playing active and competitive football: While Baba might not be playing matches in the EPL, he is playing for the reserves in England who have a very competitive league. In fact the reserve leagues in England is better than some of the top leagues in some of the countries in Europe like Israel, Norway, Finland where some Ghana players have been called to the national team in the past.
  4. Among most experienced players in the squad: The Black Stars recent match against Mali that had many young or new faces led to the 3-0 defeat but when the experienced players were used in the game against Qatar they were able to win convincingly. As such when exeperienced players like Baba are recalled to the team it will help bring some stability in the starting line up.
  5. Ghana's duty of responsibility: Ghana has a duty of responsilibilty towards Baba Rahman as he suffered his career-threatening injury while serving and playing for the Black Stars. At the height of his career when he was one of the best left backs in the world with Chelsea. His injury at the AFCON in Gabon turned his then-burgeoning career on its head leading to some of the present challenges he still faces at his club side. If the Ghana call-up will show to the world that he is not finished, we have a duty to give him an opportunity to regain that gravitas.
  6. Benefits to Ghana: If Baba Rahman's career comes back on track and he gains a good club that gives him more playing time to relcaim his shine and lustre, it will benefit Ghana as he will return to play for the Black Stars and make the national team much much stronger.
  7. Sudan matches right opportunity: The two matches against Sudan are matches that should not pose serious challenges to the Black Stars. So giving the fit-again Baba Rahman the chance to try his sharpness is the right opportunity as we won't have such opportunities to test current fitness and match form against tougher opposition.
    Baba Rahman is reutrning to the Black Stars
    Baba Rahman is reutrning to the Black Stars
  8. Example for others to dedicate to the Ghana cause: The way we treat players who suffer injury or any career setbacks while playing for Ghana, would inform other players that Ghana is worth dying for. Foreign-born players who are reluctant to play for the Black Stars will also see this as the good example of how players are given excellent care and consideration when they also need Ghana most. This will make their decision making process of playing for Ghana easy.
  9. Disciplined and non-disruptive: Baba Rahman is recognised as one of the most disciplined plaeyers in the team who don't create problems for the team and its stability or management of the team. He has never had any disciplinary action against him. This means he wont bring any problems and he will serve as a good example for the young players.
  10. Respect coach's decisions: Baba Rahman is a Ghanaian player and not Nigerian or Senegalese. If the coach of the Black Stars who has the sole authority of determining which player is called, then we must respect his decision as the person in charge. We might have our own thoughts about selections into the national team and each person has his own view. If we are to be given a piece of paper to select our squad of 23 players our views of selections would differ. Ultimately coach CK Akonnor has the sole power in deciding and if he gets it right he receives the praise and if things go awry we will be blamed and held responsible.

 

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