2022 FICA WC: Former Ghana star Dan Owusu wants Afriyie Barnieh and Afena-Gyan dropped from Black Stars

Former Ghana forward Dan Owusu believes Afriyie Barnieh and Felix Afena-Gyan are not at the level of the Black Stars and wants them excluded from Ghana’s final squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The pair were called up to the Black Stars for the pre-World Cup friendlies against Brazil and Nicaragua this month. Afena-Gyan, who moved from Roma to Cremonese in the summer transfer window, started in the 3-0 defeat to Brazil, while Afriyie Barnieh was brought on by Otto Addo seconds to end the Nicaragua game which Black Stars won 1-0. “I joined the Black Stars as a young player but I didn’t get playing time because there were senior players. When they faded out, we succeeded them, and that is how the national team should be” “Afriyie is doing well but I think this is not the time to play him at the Black Stars. He is very smallish and players like that normally struggle. To me, it is about being with the team for long and knowing the philosophy” “Both Barnieh and Afena-Gyan are not up to the national team level. I think they should just understudy the senior players and I believe with time, they will get there,” Owusu said on Kumasi-based Bryt FM. Both Afriyie Barnieh and Afena-Gyan are hoping to make Ghana’s World Cup squad. Ghana will play Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay in the group stage of the tournament, which starts on November 20.