Black Stars head coach Chris Hughton has offered an explanation for his decision to exclude local players from his recent call-ups since assuming the role.
Despite attending matches in the Ghana Premier League, Hughton has not included any local players in the two squads he has named for the AFCON Qualifiers.
This has raised questions, particularly with the absence of some key players due to injuries.
In a video posted on BKB TV on YouTube, Hughton emphasized his desire to maintain a balance and consistent approach within the current squad as the primary reason for his decision. However, he also expressed his openness to considering local players in the future.
During his time in Ghana, Hughton has observed most of the teams and is endeavoring to gain a comprehensive understanding of the league, its level, and the standout players.
He believes it is important to assess the overall picture rather than solely focusing on individual players.
“In the period of time I’ve been around, I’ve seen most of the teams. Probably at this stage, it’s about getting a feel for the league,” Hughton expressed. “The level of the league, the better players. Trying to get the whole picture as opposed to just some individuals. In this process when we come up with the individual players, the balance is always what I have.”
“At this moment, we’re trying to find the right balance of keeping the consistency of what we’ve had. We, of course, have a lot of players playing in Europe, and there are also a lot of players in Europe who haven’t played. So, it’s just for me to try and get this balance,” Hughton said.
The upcoming match for the Black Stars against Madagascar on June 18, 2023, assumes great significance as they aim to secure qualification for the next edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to take place in Cote D'Ivoire next year.