Well-known Ghanaian strength and conditioning coach Francis Totti Laryea has raised concerns about the fitness levels of some current Black Stars players, identifying a lack of regular playing time at club level as one of the factors affecting the team’s performance.
According to him, most players who feature for the senior national team spend considerable time on the bench at their respective clubs, which affects their match fitness and overall performance when they represent Ghana.
Laryea explained that players who do not get enough playing time may struggle to maintain the sharpness and physical condition required to compete at the highest level.
He made these remarks during an interview with sports journalist Isaac Ganyo Tamakloe, where he discussed issues surrounding the physical condition of the Black Stars players.
The coach’s comments highlight the importance of regular playing time and proper physical preparation as Ghana continues to work towards improving the performance of the national team.
“One of the problems affecting our national team is the fitness level of our players. Most of them lack match fitness because they spend too much time on the bench at their respective clubs. A player may train well, but spending too much time on the bench can affect his match fitness and overall performance. This is a major problem that needs urgent attention,” he said.
Laryea’s comments come in the wake of the Black Stars’ recent poor performance against Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia in the ongoing AFCON qualifiers. Ghana suffered a 2-0 defeat to Côte d’Ivoire before losing 4-2 to The Gambia in Accra. The results leave the Black Stars bottom of their group without a point.
