KRC Genk forward Joseph Paintsil has, for the first time opened up on his conversation with former Black Stars manager Otto Addo ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Paintsil, who has had been undoubtedly Ghana’s best winger in Europe this season with is electrifying display in the Belgian Jupilier League, was among the players who were dropped by Coach Otto Addo from Ghana’s final squad list for the 2022 World Cup.
The former Tema Youth star was named in Ghana’s 55-man provisional squad before missing out on the final twenty-six (26) players submitted for the World Cup despite his impressive performance at KRC Genk ahead of the tournament.
However, the 24-year-old inform attacker says his omission from the final 26-man squad list for the World Cup in Qatar remains a shocking to him.
According to Paintsil, the then Ghana boss told him during a phone conversation that he wasn’t among his best attackers for the World Cup and football isn’t all about scoring goals and providing assists.
“His [Otto Addo’s] decision was unfair. He gave me no valid reason to explain my absence. I told him the same thing during a phone conversation,” Paintsil told Belang van Limburg
“He told me that there were players ahead of me in the hierarchy. Among them, there were guys who, like me, play in the Jupiler Pro League,”
“They didn’t have couldn’t present the same stats, but Addo said football isn’t all about goals and assists.”
Paintsil, who recently extended his contract with KRC Genk until 2026, has scored 7 goals and also delivered eight assists in his 14 caps in all competitions so far this season.
