Great Olympics captain, Gladson Awako has pressed on his colleagues to keep pushing and dreaming of national team call up.
Awako is part of the eight local players invited by Black Stars coach, Charles Akonnor for next month’s double international friendly against Morocco and Ivory Coast.
The former TP Mazembe midfielder has been invited alongside, Kotoko duo Abdul Ganiu and Razak Abalora, on loan King Faisal goalkeeper, Ibrahim Danlad, Joseph Adjei of Legon Cities FC, Rashid Nortey of Medeama, Philemon Baffour of Dreams and 2021 Africa U-20 winner, Fatawu Issahaku of Steadfast FC.
The call up for the friendly is Awakao’s second invitation, having made the squad for Ghana’s double 2021 AFCON qualifiers against South Africa and São Tomé.
He made his debut in Ghana’s 3-1 win over São Tomé after the Black Stars had already qualified for the AFCON after holding South Africa 1-1 in the penultimate game at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.
Awako’s call up comes late as most of his team mates from the 2009 AFCON and the FIFA World Cup winning squad have already tasted national team football.
The 30-year-old diminutive midfielder however believes giving up on national team dreams is not an option.
“This [my call up] is a lesson to all my colleagues.
“So long as you are alive and aiming to play football, don’t ever give up, keep fighting.
“You should keep encouraging yourself on whatever you have set to achieve and I believe so long as you are still alive, you will achieve.
“So they [my colleagues] should keep on fighting.” Awako told Mohammed Shaban of Mo Tv.
The fair skinned player has collected four Most Valuable Player awards in the Ghana league following his six goals and four assists.
Awako, apart from TP Mazembe played for Congolese club, Don Bosco, USL side, Phoenix Risings and Spanish lower tier side, Recreativo Huelva in the early part of his professional journey.
He featured for Hearts of Lions, Berekum Chelsea and the defunct Ajax Academy where his talent was properly nurtured.
