Ghana announce squad for Nations Cup

Final list of Black Stars out without aces

The Ghana Football Association on Tuesday released the final list of 22 players for the 23rd African Cup of Nations - CAN 2002 - which gets underway in Mali from January 19 to February 10 after many weeks of speculations by the media. The list was released by the soccer controlling body’s General Secretary, Mr Kofi Nsiah.

Conspicuously missing from the team are Stephen 'Tornado' Appiah of Italy’s AC Parma who has been the engine room of the Black Stars in recent times, Mohammed Gargo, a stalwart defender with Udinese in the Italian Serie A and Charles Taylor, the dribbling magician of Accra Hearts of Oak who won the GFA's Most Exciting Player (MEP) award for the 2001 domestic season.

Other icons who missed the Ghanaian train is Peter Ofori Quaye who has scored valuable goals for Greek side Olympiakos in the EUFA champions league and Charles Amoah, a consistent goal poacher for the team in the recent past who earns his livelihood with Sturm Graz of Australia.

GHANA SQUAD

Defenders: John Mensah (Genoa-Italy), Mohamed Hamza (Real Tamale United), Kofi Amponsah (Paok Salonika-Greece), Princeton Owusu-Ansah (Obuasi Goldfields), Amankwah Mireku (Hearts of Oak), George Blay (Standard Liege-Belgium), John Painstill (Berekum Arsenal), Samuel Kuffour(Bayern Munich-Germany).

Midfielders: Razak Ibrahim (Empoli-Italy), Emmanuel Osei Kuffour (Hearts of Oak), Michael Essien (Bastia-France), Emmanuel Duah (Uniao Leiria-Portugal), Prince Amoako (Russia), Matthew Amoah (Vitesse Arnhem-Holland).

Strikers: Isaac Boakye (Obuasi Goldfields), Ishmael Addo (Hearts of Oak), Baffour Gyan (Slovan Liberec-Czech Republic), Derrick Boateng (Panathinaikos-Greece), Alex Techie-Mensah (Neuchatel Xamax-Switzerland).

The Confederation of African Football gave Tuesday, January 8 as the deadline for the submission of the final list. With the exception of Nigeria all the teams were able to beat the deadline set by CAF.

The Black Stars went into camp in October last year with 24 local players after Kumasi Asante Kotoko had refused to release four of their players who had been invited to join the squad. The final list however indicates 10 local players and 12 who ply their trade in Europe and elsewhere. This is however in contrast to Stars coach Osam Duodu’s earlier assurance that the team was going to be composed of 70 per cent local players and 30 per cent of the overseas professionals.

Soccer analysts had postulated that the early camping was unnecessary because most of the local players who were invited would be dropped before the competition.

That school of thought seems to be vindicated as inform players such as Awudu Adama of Dawu Youngsters, the second highest scorer in the Ghanaian premiership was dropped alongside Issa Mohammed, the workaholic of Sekondi Hasaacas, Nana Arhin Duah of Goldfields and Jacob Nettey, an excellent wing back and captain of Accra Hearts of Oak.

Before the final selection the Coach Osam Duodu led the stars in four international away battles against Algeria, Mali, Basque County of Spain and Egypt. The Black Stars drew against Algeria and Mali 2-2 and 1-1 respectively while they lost to Basque County (2-3) and Egypt (02)