Former Ghana assistant coach Maxwell Konadu is satisfied with the Black Stars squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Ghana coach Chris Hughton on Monday, January 1, 2023 released his 27-man squad for the continental showpiece, which included only three local players.
Medeama duo of Abdul Fatawu Hamidu, Jonathan Sowah and Kotoko’s Richmond Lamptey are the only Ghana Premier League players to have made the cut for the AFCON.
The squad included notable players like, Andre Ayew, Jordan Ayew, Inaki Williams, Daniel Amartey, Mohammed Kudus and others.
Meanwhile, deputy captain Thomas Partey will miss the AFCON tournament after failing to recover in time for the tournament.
Partey was named in the provisional 55-man squad but had to be dropped from the Black Stars squad final 27-man list for the tournament due to an ongoing hamstring injury.
The former Atletico Madrid star, who now plays for Arsenal, has been grappling with the hamstring problem and hasn't featured in a match since October. The decision to exclude him from the squad reflects a cautious approach to ensure the player's overall well-being.
“It’s not a bad squad. In my opinion, it’s good when you have a well-balanced squad like this. Decisions are not made to satisfy any individual but to satisfy the entire Ghanaian population. I believe they made the best decision and I’m happy there are few local ones among them. The inclusion of these local players will go a long way to motivate players plying their trade in the local scene” he said on Kessben FM monitored by Footballghana.com.
Ghana have opened camp in Kumasi as preparations continue for the Nations Cup next week.
The tournament is scheduled to kick off on Saturday, January 13 through to February 11, 2024.
The West Africa powerhouse have a history of success in the AFCON, having won the title four times, most recently in 1982. However, they have experienced defeat in three finals since then, including losses to Ivory Coast in 1992 on penalties and Egypt in 2010, as well as a repeat defeat to Ivory Coast in 2015.