Following the confirmation of availability of some players to represent Ghana, the former U-20 FIFA World Cup winner, Emmanuel Agyemang Badu has also voiced out his opinion.
The ex-Udinese midfielder insists it is good for Ghana to beef up their squad for the upcoming World’s most prestigious football competition to be staged in Qatar.
Badu wants the foreign-born footballers who have availed themselves to represent the nation to get involved in every game not only the World Cup.
The former U-20 star made this statement on Wontumi Tv after the president of the Ghana FA Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku confirmed in a tweet that Tariq Lamptey, Inaki Williams, Mohammed Salisu, Stephan Ambrosius, Patrick Pfeffer and Ransford Yeboah are available for national selection.
The former Black Stars player in his comment also urged the nation not to build a team only for the World Cup but they should build a formidable team that can break Ghana’s trophy drought to win the AFCON 2024.
“What we can all say is that we need to beef our team and find some qualities to what we have now because we are going to participate in the highest football tournament in the world. The team need to be beefed. No matter where you are If only you are a Ghanaian you can play for the national team but there’s only two things I can say. If the person is willing to be available anytime and if the coach knows the player can help then we need to support them,” he told Wontumi Tv.
“We need to build a team that can win the 2024 AFCON if even if we don’t get good performance in the World Cup. We shouldn’t build a team only for the World Cup. Then after the World Cup what is next for the national team?
“They are welcome. I don’t think that the coach has called them just to come and play the World Cup. Their performance will show. If maybe others are afraid that they will be omitted and new ones will be added I don’t think so and I don’t think the coach has granted anyone the national team for now. Your club football will help you for where you fit if the coach needs you.
“We will support them at the World Cup but after the World Cup if there is any qualifiers in Comoros, they need to avail themselves. If Sudan, they need to be there for the nation and if Niger they should come so that we can build the team and win the African Cup of Nations.
“They should understand the terrain and know that it is different from Europe.
“They should calm down that’s why I used the word willing.”
Speaking about the commitment level and what they should do to help the national team to excel, the 31-year-old midfielder gent added, “When you go to Rome you do what the Roman’s do. They should understand what we will do.
“They have their rights to voice out if things are not going on well but I think they should brief them so that we won’t get any issues that will distract the team.
Agyemang Badu made his senior national team debut in 2010 and managed to play at multiple CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournaments as well as the FIFA World Cup after scoring the last penalty for the Black Satellites to beat Brazil in Egypt to lift the U-20 FIFA World Cup.
