Black Stars head coach Otto Addo holds the firm belief that Andre Ayew has a crucial role to play in his setup despite his omission from the squad.

Otto Addo named his 23-man squad for the doubleheader against Angola and Niger, notably missing from the squad list was clubless, Andre Ayew for the second time running.  

READ MORE: “If I am convinced I will call you” – Otto Addo on Ghana Premier League players

“Andre Ayew is a good player, but at the moment, he is not here. He doesn’t have a club, but nobody knows the future,” said the coach.

“If he gets a club and performs and scores 20 goals, maybe he can return because we are building something for the future.” He ended.

READ MORE: AFCON 2025Q: BlackStars squad released for Angola and Niger games

The team will be at home at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium to clash with Angola on September 5, 2024, and four days later with Niger in Morocco.

Black Stars head coach Otto Addo has explained the rationale for selecting just one player from the Ghana Premier League ahead of the AFCON qualifiers.

Announcing his squad for the games shows visibly that one player from the domestic league made the squad, goalkeeper, Fredrick Asare.

READ MORE: AFCON 2025Q: BlackStars squad released for Angola and Niger games

This has drawn widespread discontent amongst football people who are of the view that other players who impressed in the just-ended 2023/2024 Ghana Premier League should have been given a fair opportunity.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT :

Speaking to pressmen about the squad announcement, coach Otto Addo disclosed that he would only call the best once he was convinced.

“I think it is not easy. I said last time we would watch the Ghanaian Premier League. It’s tough and I know if I leave a player out there will be questions,” he said.

“But at the moment for me, it is not about the Ghana Premier League, French Ligue 1, or the EPL or Bundesliga, it is about the players and we need the best players to qualify for the World Cup. I don’t care, if I am convinced I will call you,” he added.

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The team will be at home at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium to clash with Angola on September 5, 2024, and four days later with Niger in Morocco.

Former Black Stars head coach, Charles Kwablan Akonnor, has rallied for support for Chris Hughton ahead of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

In the last few weeks, Hughton had come under incessant pressure from several quarters within the Ghanaian landscape for failing to grind the results for the country.

READ MORE: Enock Adu Kofi: “I am ready to play for Ghana”

On the back of two consecutive international friendly losses against Mexico and the United States of America, the results have been dire in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

In two games, he won one against, Madagascar and lost one to Comoros.

Despite the inconsistencies in results and the failure of Hughton to impose his football culture on the team, Akonnor is optimistic that the BlackStars coach will get things should he be given the needed time, patience, and support.

“I know what he is going through. It’s a difficult time. Sometimes, you can get confused especially when the whole nation comes at you,” 

“We need to be calm. There is a need for calmness to prepare well, get focused, and have a strategy for going into this tournament.

“It’s a big deal for us as a football nation but we need to calm down and allow him to prepare the team adequately so we can go to this tournament and do well.”

READ  MORE: Ignatius Osei-Fosu: “Medeama wouldn’t have sacked me if I met Kwesi Appiah early”

Black Stars is housed in a tricky group with Egypt, Mozambique, and Cape Verde.

The 2023 AFCON is scheduled to come off on January 13 to February 11, 2024.

Ghana defender Joseph Aidoo suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon on international duty with the BlackStars which will see him miss the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Cote d’Ivoire. 

The 28-year-old was taken off on a stretcher in tears during BlackStar’s 2-0 defeat by Mexico on Sunday. 

READ MORE: Former England star, Bertrand throws support for BlackStars coach, Chris Hughton

He landed awkwardly after a challenge in the first half of the international friendly which saw hum replaced by Alidu Seidu in the 28th minute of the game.

Celta Vigo’s medical team assessed their towering defender and pronounced a six-month injury layoff which will see him miss the AFCON 2023 tournament slated for Cote d’Ivoire.

The club expressed its support and encouragement for Aidoo’s recovery.

In an official statement, Celta Medical Services’ head, Juan José García Cota, revealed the details of the operation to address Aidoo’s injury.

“The head of RC Celta’s medical services, Juan José García Cota, operated this morning on center back Joseph Aidoo, who suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in a match played with his national team last Saturday.

“The intervention, which passed without complications and took place early in the morning at the Fremap Hospital in Vigo, consisted of reconstructing the tendon with reinforced suture and applying growth factors.

“The light blue defender will remain out for 6-7 months. The club reiterates its message of encouragement and support for Aidoo, whom it wishes a full recovery,” the club announced on Thursday.

READ MORE : Tunisia’s Chouchane Asma  to officiate Olympic qualifying match between Ghana and Benin

The injury to Aidoo will see Chris Hughton rely on Alex Djiku, Mohammed Salisu, Daniel Amartey, and Nicholas Opoku.