King Faisal defender, Samuel Kusi has urged the senior national team selectors to turn attention to players in the domestic league.
The Black Stars of Ghana represented the over 30 million population at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon but failed woefully. Then head coach of Ghana, Milovan Rajevac handed debut call ups to Real Tamale United forward, David Abagna Sandan and four others, Hearts of Oak goalkeeper Richard Attah, Dreams FC duo of Abdul Fatawu Issahaku and Philemon Baffour as well as Great Olympics striker, Maxwell Abbey Quaye. None of the above mentioned players tasted a minute on the field with goalkeeper Richard Attah only managing to be on the bench against Morocco and Comoros in the opening and final group C game. Samuel Kusi, 19, believes there are more talents in the local league who merit senior national team opportunities.
“They [national team selectors] should pull in more of the local players than the foreign ones. “We all want money and the more you play, the more you are recognized. “Most of the clubs are young and we have bigger teams like Kotoko, Hearts of Oak, AshantiGold and Medeama. “So when the smaller clubs engage the bigger ones, the selectors should take a look at players from the younger teams. “They must not always concentrate on European players; the local players are equally better.” Samuel Kusi told Edubiaseman fm.
The Black Stars were in Group C alongside, North African giants, Morocco, Gabon and Comoros. Ghana, four time African champions lost 1-0 in their opening campaign against Morocco before a second group schedule against Gabon ended 1-1. The West African nation then lost its final group game by 3-2 against debutants, Comoros to exit at the group stage with just a point for the first time since 2006. Ghana will look to end what will then be a 41-year wait in search of an AFCON trophy after last winning it in 1982 in Libya.
They have come close twice to winning the tournament but lost out to Egypt in 2010 in Angola and Ivory Coast in 2015 in Equatorial Guinea. Ghana are faced with a daunting task in the final 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against the Super Eagles of Nigeria in March.
