2019 AFCON: Appiah’s provisional squad too big – Laryea Kingston

Former Ghana International, Laryea Kingston, says Black Stars Coach Kwasi Appiah has picked about the best performing Ghanaian players across the world in the 29-man provisional squad for the 2019 AFCON.

However, Kingston says selecting a provisional squad of 29 players with only a month to the tournament will breed tension and uneasy calm in the team, considering 6 players would have to be dropped before the final 23- squad for the tournament is announced.

“ I don’t have a problem with the squad Kwasi Appiah has named, I only expected Clifford Aboagye to have been given a chance because he had a good season. My other challenge is the number of players he has selected. 29 players are a lot and there is not a lot of time left. With this, there will be a lot of tension in camp as to who and who will be dropped. The tension won’t make the players feel relaxed and enjoy the camping. Maybe he should have selected 25 players so that dropping two won’t be too much of a problem.”

On Wednesday, May 22, Black Stars Coach, Kwasi Appiah named a 29-man squad in his provisional list for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nation scheduled for Egypt, next month.

The 29 consists of three goalkeepers, ten defenders, eleven midfielders and five strikers.

Goalkeepers

Richard Ofori (Maritzburg United, South Africa, Lawrence Ati- Zigi (Sochaux, Montbeliard, France), and Felix Annan (Asante Kotoko, Ghana).

Defenders

John Boye (Metz, France), Andy Yiadom (Reading, England), Abdul Baba Rahman (Reims, France), Lumor Agbenyenu (Goztepe A.S, Turkey), Kassim Nuhu, (Hoffenheim, Germany,) Jonathan Mensah (Columbus Crew SC, USA), Joseph Aidoo (Genk, Belguim), Nuhu Musa (St Gallen, Switzerland), Joseph Attamah (Basaksehir, Turkey), and Mohammed Alhassan (Hearts of Oak, Ghana)

Midfielders

Mubarak Wakaso (Deportivo Alaves, Spain), Thomas Partey (Atletico Madrid, Spain), Kwadwo Asamoah (Internazionle, Italy), Ebenezer Ofori (New York FC, USA), Afriyie Acquah (Empoli, Italy), Andre Ayew ( Fenerbache, Turkey), Christian Atsu (Newcastle United, England), Samuel Owusu (Cukaricki, Serbia), Thomas Agyepong (Hibernian, Scotland), Yaw Yeboah (Numancia, Spain), Abdul Fatawu (Asante Kotoko, Ghana).

Strikers

Asamoah Gyan (Kayserispor, Turkey), Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace, England), Abdul Majeed Waris ( Nantes, France), Caleb Ekuban (Trabzonspor, Turkey) and Kwabena Owusu (Leganes, Spain).

The team will depart Accra, on Saturday, June 1, for pre-tournament preparations in Dubai, ahead of the competition. Of the 29 players, the final 23 will be named to represent Ghana at the tournament.

The GFA Normalization Committee has lined up two high profile preparatory matches for the Black Stars against Namibia and South Africa.