Ghana Football Association President Kurt Okraku has addressed concerns over the absence of several key players from the Black Stars squad ahead of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign. The Black Stars have been hit by a series of player absences, including Mohammed Kudus, Antoine Semenyo, Thomas Partey, Jordan Ayew, Baba Rahman, and Alidu Seidu. Okraku emphasized that the absences are due to genuine injuries and not a deliberate attempt by players to avoid representing Ghana.
Okraku explained that many players are forced to play through injuries at the club level due to their full-time employment and the demands of their training regimes. He noted that this often leads to medical issues, which can cause players to withdraw from national team duty. The GFA president stressed that no Ghanaian player has intentionally declined a call-up to the national team since he took office.
The Black Stars have responded to the latest absences with a number of late call-ups as Carlos Queiroz prepares his squad for the opening assignment. Brandon Thomas-Asante, Felix Afena-Gyan, and Jonas Adjetey are among the players added to the squad. Rockson Yeboah and Rahim Ibrahim have also received their first call-ups to the senior national team.
Ghana will open their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign against Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké on September 24 before hosting Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium five days later. The team is expected to depart Accra for Bouaké ahead of the Ivory Coast clash. Okraku expressed confidence in the team's ability to compete, despite the challenges posed by the absences.
Carlos Queiroz, the Black Stars coach, has emphasized the importance of the upcoming matches, stating that the team must win their next game against Côte d’Ivoire. The coach's focus is on the present, with the next game being the most important trophy for the team.
The injury withdrawals have raised concerns about the team's preparedness for the qualifying campaign. However, Okraku backed the team, saying they are "good enough" to fight for Ghana. The GFA president's comments aim to alleviate concerns and reassure fans that the team is working hard to overcome the challenges.
The Black Stars face a tough test in their opening qualifier against Côte d’Ivoire, but Okraku and Queiroz are optimistic about the team's chances. With a mix of experienced and new players, the Black Stars will look to make a strong start to their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign.
Key points
- No Ghanaian player has deliberately withdrawn from the Black Stars due to injury.
- The team has made several late call-ups to strengthen the squad.
- Ghana's first AFCON 2027 qualifier is against Côte d’Ivoire on September 24.
