Former Black Stars winger Yaw Preko is not worried about local players exclusion from the Black Stars squad ahead of the 2023 AFCON qualifiers later this month.
On Thursday, Black Stars new coach Chris Hughton announced his 25-man squad for the upcoming AFCON qualifiers against Angola, excluding seven players who participated at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Baba Rahman, Elisha Owusu, Daniel Kofi Kyereh, Alidu Seidu could not make up the squad due to injuries. Danlad Ibrahim, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku and Daniel Afriyie Barnieh were dropped from the squad.
Meanwhile, no local player made the cut for the Angola clash.
Speaking to Oyerepa FM, the former Great Olympics coach asserted Hughton has not watched the Ghana Premier League enough to be inviting local players into the national team.
“The local players need to raise their game and see how it goes. I do not think Chris Hughton has watched the local league enough to be inviting local players.”
“I believe he is being cautious in the call up not to invite players he does not know much.
As time goes on he might do changes but for now I do not think he needs to rush and do changes in the squad.
He will use this match to have a core team he can build on so for now I do not think people should begrudge him for the players he has invited” he said.
Ghana will play host to Angola on March 23 at the Baba Yara Stadium before the reverse fixture in Luanda on March 27.
The Black Stars lead Group E of the qualifiers with four points, followed by Angola who are also on four points before Central African Republic and Madagascar follow in that order.