Dreams FC head coach, Abdul Karim Zito, has defended Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Simeon-Okraku, dismissing allegations that he interferes in national team selections.
Okraku has recently faced accusations of influencing player call-ups, but Zito, who also serves as Ghana’s U-19 head coach, firmly refuted these claims in an interview with Graphic Sports.
“I can swear to you that sometimes Kurt doesn’t even know the players we pick,” Zito said.
He recalled a conversation with Okraku after qualifying for the AFCON, where the GFA president simply inquired about the team’s progress without dictating player choices.
“When I qualified for the AFCON, he called me to his office and asked how I saw my team. He never told me which players to select but only asked if I wanted to strengthen the squad.”
The experienced coach emphasized that Okraku’s role was more about encouraging scouting efforts rather than influencing selections.
“Due to that encouragement, I considered adding three foreign-based players to the squad. However, one couldn’t play due to COVID. This is why I can confidently vouch that the FA president has no influence on player selection,” he stated.