Assistant coach of the Black Stars, Mas-Ud Dramani believes new players did not switch nationality to play for the West African country due to the 2022 World Cup.
Athletic Bilbao striker, Inaki Williams and Brighton defender, Tariq Lamptey have completed their nationality ahead of the Mundial in Qatar.
Following their decision to play for the four-time African champions, the players have been accused of taking advantage of the country.
However, Dramani thinks that they just want to defend their nation, hence their decision to play for the Black Stars.
“Sometimes we think that players who are switching nationality are only doing so because of the World Cup. That is not what it is,” the former Asante Kotoko coach told Asempa FM on the Sports Nite Show.
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He further explained the rationale behind the move by the Ghana Football Association [GFA].
“It is a culture that we are starting to make sure that now players who didn’t have the opportunity of playing in our youth teams or were born outside Ghana but are Ghanaians and can ably defend that they are Ghanaians just like you saw Tariq Lamptey and Inaki Williams, get the opportunity.
“We see it beyond the World Cup. There are very young ones who are coming in now but they are for the future. We are not doing it just because we want players to get to the World Cup,” he added.
Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu, Germany youth trio Stephan Ambrosius, Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer and Patric Pfeiffer have all committed to Ghana.
Ghana has been housed in Group H alongside, Portugal, South Korea, and Uruguay.