The latest to weigh in on the exodus of players from Ghana’s top-flight league to other leagues in Africa & Europe is Black Stars Head Coach Chris Hughton.
Chris Hughton after qualifying Ghana to yet another AFCON scheduled for January next year in Cote D’Ivoire was present at the Sunyani Coronation Park, where Bofoakwa Tano picked up a first win against Real Tamale United on Friday, September 22, 2023.
Chris Hughton at the Sunyani Coronation Park
Chris Hughton’s previous squad called up for the AFCON qualifiers had two local-based players from Reigning premier league Champions Medeama SC, namely Jonathan Sowah & Abdul Fatawu Hamidu to see out the final phase of the qualifying series.
Reacting to that, in an interview with Akwaaba Radio’s Hussein Adams, Hughton believes that is imperative to set sights on the local league, highlighting the plethora of talents in the country and further shared his thoughts on the departure of players from Ghana to other countries.
“This is a question for every Head Coach in the last couple of years.”
“There will always be, of course, players that leave here [Ghana] and go and play in Europe and this is something that has happened for quite some time.”
“If you generally gauge the national team, the Black Stars squad has most of the players playing abroad.”
“This is always the challenge, this is a challenge for the local league, the premier league to be at level, a competitive one that, whoever the Black Stars coach is, can look at it and pick from it.”
Ghana’s top-flight league has lost some top stars in the last couple of seasons.
Most notably, Hearts of Oak’s Daniel Afriyie Barnieh, Kumasi Asante Kotoko’s Ismail Ganiyu, and Bechem United’s Hafiz Wontah Konkoni to the incredible young exciting prospects from the academy side WAFA have all left to ply their trade in other countries.
Hughton’s tenure so far has seen three local players called up to his squads.
Hafiz Wontah Konkoni, formerly of Bechem United was handed a debut call-up before leaving the shores of Ghana for Tanzanian side Young Africans.
Konkoni’s fine 15 goals and one assist haul in the 2022-2023 Betpawa Ghana Premier League season was rewarded with a debut call-up to Ghana’s Senior National Men’s team to play Madagascar in the penultimate game of the 2023 AFCON qualifiers.
Medeama duo, Jonathan Sowah & Abdul Fatawu Hamidu are the latest to follow suit.
Both featured in the friendly game against Liberia at the Accra Sports Stadium and gave a decent account of themselves, a performance that led to several calls from some sections of football fans clamouring for more opportunities to be handed to the local talents.
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