Black Starlets assistant coach, Nana Kweku Agyemang, has urged for greater inclusion of locally based players in the senior national team, the Black Stars. As the coach of Vision FC, Agyemang believes that homegrown talent could bring added enthusiasm and commitment to the national side.
Agyemang also voiced his support for the current Black Stars head coach, Otto Addo, stating that the team’s recent struggles should not be blamed solely on the coach. He emphasized the need for a more balanced squad selection, questioning the heavy reliance on foreign-based players.
“I don’t think the coach is so much of a problem. I think we as Ghanaians need to assess our challenges holistically. We have a league going on in Ghana, a Premier League,” Agyemang said in an interview with Citi Sports.
He went on to challenge the practice of fielding a majority of foreign-based players, asking, “Is there any country in this world that assembles all foreign-based players to play in the national team? Once you do that, it’s as if we don’t believe in our local league.”
Agyemang acknowledged the talent of foreign-based players but argued that local players should be given the opportunity to compete for spots on the team. “These foreign-based players are very, very good players, but I think we should find local-based players to give them a little bit of challenge in the camp,” he added.
His comments highlight the ongoing debate over the balance between foreign and locally-based players in the Black Stars, especially as the team looks to improve its performance on the international stage.
