Former Ebusua Dwarfs coach, J.E. Sarpong, expressed hope that Andre Ayew will accept his exclusion from the Black Stars in good faith.

The 34-year-old forward has been left out of Ghana’s squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Mali and the Central African Republic, despite his impressive performances in the recently concluded French Ligue 1 season.

Ayew scored five goals in 19 appearances, playing a crucial role in keeping Le Havre in the French top flight.

Speaking to Asempa FM on the Ultimate Sports Show, Sarpong, who also previously coached Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko, shared his thoughts on the decision.

“André Ayew has paid his dues, but the manner in which we say goodbye to our players is not pleasant. I’m being skeptical because Ayew is in form. He has found his form again, considering his performance in the just-ended season. Ayew was scoring in the French Ligue, so I thought his form could carry him to the national team.

“If André Ayew is to be retired from the team, it should be after the qualifiers. I don’t understand why we push our captains out like this. It happened to Kwesi Appiah, Asamoah Gyan, and now André. The debate will continue, but I hope Ayew will take it in good faith and move on,” he added.

Ayew holds the record for the most appearances for Ghana with 120 caps and has scored 24 goals for the national team.

Meanwhile, the Black Stars will begin their training today at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium.

Ghana is scheduled to play in Bamako on June 6 before hosting the Central African Republic at the Baba Yara Stadium on June 10 for Matchday 3 and 4 games, respectively.

The Black Stars, currently fourth in Group I, will aim to get back to winning ways after recording a win and a defeat in their first two matches.