Black Stars coach, Chris Hughton, has finally explained why there is no local player in his latest player call-up since taking over the role.
The 64-year-old, who has signed a 21-month deal as Otto Addo’s successor, took charge of his first game in March against Angola in a back-to-back game in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
Hughton did not include any local player in his maiden call-up for the game.
His recent call-ups for the matchday five game against Madagascar later this month has no local players, despite injuries to some key players in the team.
Speaking in a video by KB TV on YouTube, Hughton said his aim to keep a balance and ensure consistency within the current squad informed his decision but expressed his willingness to consider local players in the future.
“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,” the former Premier League manager said.
“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 added.
The Black Stars take on Madagascar on June 18, 2023, as they look to secure qualification for the next edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote D’Ivoire next year.
Ghana will officially open camp on Monday, June 12 for the game against Madagascar.
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