Former vice president of the Ghana Football Association, George Afriyie, has identified possible reasons for Thomas Partey’s inability to replicate his club performance at the international level.
Many fans have criticized the 29-year-old midfielder for his underwhelming performances for Ghana during the 2022 World Cup, where the country was eliminated early.
Afriyie compared Partey’s situation to that of Michael Essien, stating that the player’s positioning in Ghana’s starting team could be a factor. According to Afriyie, the country is yet to find an established position for Partey, and this could be affecting his output.
He explained that Partey’s performance for Arsenal cannot be compared to his performance for Ghana due to the difference in the quality of players around him. Afriyie also praised Partey’s past performances for the Black Stars, highlighting crucial goals he scored in important matches.
Afriyie’s comments come ahead of Ghana’s upcoming African Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers against Angola, where Partey is expected to feature prominently.
“It’s a combination of factors. compare him to Michael Essien. What we saw him in the Chelsea jersey cannot be compared to what we saw in the Black Stars. Essien delivered when it mattered most. I remember we played Congo in Brazzaville and Partey was pushed up front in more of a No.8 or No.10 position and he scored 3 goals,” he stated.
“Against Nigeria in Abuja, he also scored a very important goal that qualified Ghana for the World Cup. So where it matters most, he delivers,” he said.
“It depends on how a coach wants to parade his players. It depends on the set of players he brings around him. It would be very difficult to compare Partey in Arsenal to Partey in Ghana because you need to consider the materials around him at Arsenal and compare that to Ghana. So for me, it is the way we position him and the roles we assign him. Partey has always had the desire and shown commitment that he wants to play for Ghana,” he added.
In his 43 appearances for Ghana, Partey has scored 13 goals, including the one that sealed qualification for the 2022 World Cup.
