Great Olympics head coach Bismark Kobi Mensah is unhappy about the exclusion of local players from the Black Stars squad for the upcoming AFCON qualifiers.
Head coach Chris Hughton named a 25-man squad for the upcoming qualifier against Angola, and despite maintaining a major part of the World Cup squad, no local player made the cut.
Reacting to the exclusion of home-based players, the former Karela United gaffer said, “For now, it does not speak well of our league. There should be a plan and a policy,” he told Kumasi-based Pure FM.
“You cannot name the Black Stars squad without a local player. It does not speak well of our league. It does not encourage the local players.
“I don’t where this is done but the trust is, it is not right and this does not speak well of our brand.
“There should be a policy that if you invite local players, they have to be encouraged. When we went to the CHAN tournament, the team did not do well but we also saw the Black Stars at the World Cup in Qatar.
“Disappointment will always be there but it does not take away the qualities of these players. There should be a policy if not, these players will always want to play outside the country because once you play outside the country, you will be recognized,” he added.
The four-time African champions 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 the Central African Republic and Madagascar follow in that order.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Sylvester Ntim
