Local players not ready to play for the Black Stars - Augustine Arhinful

Former Ghanaian international Augustine Arhinful has revealed that some local players may not be prepared to earn a spot on the senior national team, the Black Stars.

Despite calls from fans over the years to include home-based players in the national squad alongside foreign-based ones, Arhinful, a former Ashgold forward, expressed in an interview with Graphic Sports that many local players lack the necessary experience and may require the presence of foreign-based players to strengthen the team.

"While we can consider selecting the best local talents for the national team, relying solely on local players may not be feasible," he stated.

Arhinful pointed to the disappointing performance of the local Black Stars at the recent Championship of Africa Nations (CHAN) tournament in Algeria as evidence to support his stance.

Ghana's inability to advance beyond the group stage led Arhinful to question whether local players are adequately prepared to compete at the highest level without the support of more seasoned teammates.

"Last year, during the CHAN competition in Algeria, our local Black Stars failed to progress from the group stage. Observing their performance, we must consider whether these same players are ready to compete at the AFCON," he remarked.

The Black Stars are set to play their next game in June for their 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Mali and the Central African Republic.

JNA/NOQ