Former Black Stars midfielder Derek Boateng has lamented on treatment meted out to Ghanaian youngster, Felix Afena-Gyan by the Ghana Football Association.
Afena-Gyan played a huge role in the Black Stars qualification to the World Cup 2022 but was snubbed in the final 26-man squad for the tournament in Qatar.
He featured on both legs against the Super Eagles of Nigeria as Ghana secured a place at the mundial on an away goal rule.
The Cremonese attacker recently rejected call up to feature for the Ghana U-23 team in their game against Algeria in Kumasi, where the Black Meteors inflicted a 1-0 win over the North African country to qualify.
Afena-Gyan has been heavily criticized by some Ghanaian football fanatic for his gesture but Derek Boateng has jumped to his defense as he believes he was not treated fairly by the Ghana FA.
In an interview with Asempa FM, Boateng, who believes Afena-Gyan was Black Stars best player during the play-off has urged the Ghana FA to send a delegation to meet the player in Italy to deliberate on issues.
"I really think Ghanaians haven't been fair to that boy so right now that he has turned down an invitation, I support it. Football now is not about going to the field and performing a lot of things adds up that people don't care about and only blame players that they don't perform," Derek Boateng stated.
"Football is about the brain so if you don't have a sound mindset you can never perform. In our two matches against Nigeria, he was our best player. He was the player that was fighting four Nigerian defenders because we were playing one top. He did everything possible, we qualified for the World Cup and they didn't invite him and now they want him for under 23 and his management said he is not ready," he said.