Joshua Clottey: “We need Sulley Muntari at AFCON 2015”

Former IBF Welterweight champion, Joshua Clottey has criticized Black Stars Coach Avram Grant’s decision not to name Sulley Muntari in his 31-man preliminary squad for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, stating that Ghana would need the AC Milan winger to excel at the continental championship.

The former Inter Milan and Udinese midfielder is still serving an indefinite suspension after he was thrown out of the Black Stars camp at the 2014 World Cup for assaulting a management member of the senior national team.

“He is a Ghanaian and definitely they will call him back one day and that day is now. I am not saying this because I know Sulley Muntari or he is my friend, I am saying this. When you call him and he doesn’t come, then he knows that Ghana called him and he doesn’t want to come and play but stop this talk about he not being respectful,” Clottey told Accra-based radio station Starr 103.5FM.

“At the end of the day, Grant does not know anything about Sulley being disrespectful to the GFA so if it was left to Grant alone he would call Sulley but maybe there are people around the man convincing him not to call Sulley. We need Sulley for the AFCON,” the Ghanaian boxer added.

Sulley Muntari, who made his AFCON debut at the Ghana 2008, is set to miss his third continental competition following his absence at the Angola 2010 and South Africa 2013 tournaments.