I chose the best players for AFCON 2017 – Avram Grant

Black Stars coach, Avram Grant has defended Ghana's squad for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) by stating unequivocally that the 23 men were the best at his disposal.

Grant came under heavy criticism when Abdul-Majeed Waris, Latif Blessing and Rashid Sumaila missed out of the final list submitted to CAF despite excelling at their respective clubs.

The Israeli national managed to send the team through to the semi-finals of the tournament, but a 2-0 trashing from the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon denied his army chance to stage a second consecutive AFCON final.

In a rebuttal shortly after his arrival in Ghana, Avram Grant told GhanaWeb that the squad was the best the country could present.

“I think we chose the best players and we didn’t have any superstars on our side”.

“We chose players for the future and young players who didn’t have any experience and because I’m not working for the present but for the future no star was outside”, he stated.

“I am disappointed that Kojo Asamoah didn’t come and he is really a top player, but all the best players were in the squad and they did everything, their fighting spirit was good, but one moment we were out,” Grant added.

For a decade now, the Black Stars have made it to all six semi-finals but have not been able to lift the trophy.