AFCON 2019: Kevin Prince Boateng wants Black Stars return – Alfred Duncan

Sassuolo midfielder Alfred Duncan has revealed that teammate and countryman Kevin-Prince Boateng has been desirous of ending his Black Stars exile.

Boateng, who made a half-season loan switch to Spanish giants FC Barcelona in the January transfer window, has been on an indefinite suspension for the past five years.

And Duncan has revealed that one of the issues that cropped up in his conversations with the 32-year-old forward who had been signed from Germany’s Frankfurt in the summer was about the Ghana national team.

“I didn’t know Kevin before but when he came [to Sassuolo], we had a long chat.

“And he mentioned about his will of coming back to the national. He was very determined…,” he told Citi FM.

“Since he came, that has been one of his real objectives – to be able to return to the national team,” Duncan added.

The ostracized Boateng

Boateng, together with Sulley Muntari, fell on the disciplinary axe of coach Kwasi Appiah prior to Ghana’s final group game against Portugal.

He was charged for what the Ghana FA said in a statement were “vulgar verbal insults” aimed at coach Appiah during training.

Via an interview with Sports Bild, Boateng denied the charges saying: “Sulley Muntari and I were just joking around, and the coach stopped the session and sent us back to the changing room.

“Afterwards I went to him and asked what he had against me and he started yelling. He insulted me. There were words like: ‘Fuck off.’”

Portions of the quotes attributed to Boateng also had him saying: “No one should think I insulted the coach.”

No straightforward return

KP Boateng’s chances of wearing the Ghana colours again come with conditions – that from Coach Kwasi Appiah and the other on legal basis as a result of a government White Paper recommendation.

The Dzamefe Commission, with the powers of a High Court, recommended some sanctions against Boateng and Sulley Muntari for the disruptive roles they played in Ghana’s 2014 World Cup fiasco.

The White Paper in upholding the recommendation on ‘Discipline in the Black Stars camp’, strongly advised against inviting Kevin-Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari to the national team.

It stated: “Government further advises that the two players should not be recalled into the Black Stars camp in order to maintain the discipline that appears to have been restored since Brazil 2014.”

But the German-born attacker has failed to take steps to legally overturn the decision in court – something which appears could come biting, per an advice by Lawyer Egbert Faibille Jnr. back in June 2016.

Granted coach Kwasi Appiah has decided to include Boateng in his squad for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, the player would still have to go through the legal processes of heading to the courts by filing an appeal and successfully overturning the Commission of Inquiry’s findings against him.

The requirement must be satisfied before he can receive an invite to a Ghana national team camp.

The Black Stars are scheduled to begin their pre-Afcon preparations in Accra from May 27. The tournament is scheduled for June 26 to July 19.