Black Stars Management Committee member and former former Ghana ainternational, Samuel Osei Kuffour, has opened up on how the new players who have switched nationality to play Ghana will be integrated into the national team.
The Ghana Football Association [GFA] earlier this week announced that Brighton and Hove Albion defender, Tariq Lamptey, Athletic Club forward, Inaki Williams, Hamburger SV defender, Stephane Ambrocious, Darmstadt defender, Patrick Pfeffer, and Hamburger SV forward, Ransford-Yeboah have all completed their nationality switch.
These aforementioned palyers are likely to be in Ghana’s squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations [AFCON] doubleheader against Angola in September and make the squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Explaining how the players will be integrated into the squad to avoid cultural problems and differences, Sammy Kuffour said the current squad is made of players who play abroad.
“If you look at the current Black Stars team, almost all of the players play outside Ghana. If they come they will mingle, they will just jell with the team,” he told Accra-based Peace FM.
The former Black Stars defender cited Belgium-born Denis Odoi, who made his debut in March 2022, as an example of how the new players will settle into the Black Stars.
“I quite remember we invited Denis Odoi before our two matches against Nigeria. We all saw what he added to the team. The important role he played against Nigeria, though it was his first time. I was in camp with them, the way the players welcomed him and now they call him the Professor. So, I think it’s beautiful. It is beautiful for them to come and then we welcome them very well.”
“We will tell them that those who were not born here have different attitudes so it will be a gradual process. If they go wrong, it is about talking to them and taking them through a learning process,” he added.
