Former skipper of the Black Stars, Stephen 'Tonado' Appiah has backed the inclusion of the local players in the Black Stars. Ghana used to include
Former skipper of the Black Stars, Stephen ‘Tonado’ Appiah has backed the inclusion of the local players in the Black Stars.
Ghana used to include many players plying their trade in the Ghana Premier League in the Black Stars. Things started to change when the nation qualified for its first FIFA World Cup in 2006.
Two players from the GPL made the league proud after dazzling at the biggest stage of world football. Shilla Illiasu and Habib Mohamned who then were players from Asante Kotoko and King Faisal were ready made materials for the team.
Appiah said during an appearance at the Parliamentary Select Committee on Sports, “We have to give the local players the chance and confidence to play for the national team. In our time, there were players from the domestic league who looked good and gave us tough time.
“At the 2006 World Cup, Osei Kuffour was a top, top defender but after the game against Italy, in the 2nd game against Czech Republic, it was Shilla Illiasu who was playing for Kotoko who came in and stamped the position. Brilliant player”, Appiah added.
“There was Habib Mohammed, a local player who took the left back position,” he concluded.
It has gotten to a period that local players are no more valuable as 99.9% of the senior national team call ups are made based on your presence in Europe. The only local player getting the opportunity in the Black stars now is Kotoko’s Frederick Asare.
Otto Addo is expected to announce his squad for the crucial AFCON 2025 qualifiers agianst Sudan in October. Only one player from the GPL is expected to be part of the squad.
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