The first selection of Chris Hughton as Black Stars coach came without a representation from the Ghana Premier League.
In the 25-man squad announced on March 9, 2023, not a single player from the Ghana Premier League made the cut and stands a possibility of playing against Angola on March 23 and March 27.
The snubbing of local players is yet another blow for the Ghana Premier League which has been enjoying some bad press recently.
However, second deputy coach of the Black Stars, Mas-Ud Didi Dramani has explained the reason behind his boss’ decision to overlook the local players.
In an interview with Citi Sports, the former Kotoko coach discussed the importance of consistency and frequency of games in relation to Chris Hughton’s squad selection. He further cautioned against overstating the absence of local players in Hughton’s squad, as it could lead to negativity and detract from the attention paid to the local league.
He also emphasized their personal interest in the local league, stating that they attend many of the games. Regarding Hughton’s squad, Didi Dramani stated that the team’s consistency was key, and that they aimed to maintain that consistency even when local players were not invited.
Ghana will play host to Angola on March 23 at the Baba Yara Stadium before the reverse fixture in Luanda on March 27.
The Black Stars lead Group E of the qualifiers with four points, followed by Angola who are also on four points before Central African Republic and Madagascar follow in that order.