Stevanovic still working on Ghana squad

Ghana Football Association president Kwesi Nyantekyie has described a list making the rounds as Ghana's final squad for the 2012 Nations Cup as a 'figment of someone's imagination.'

A 23-man squad surfaced in the media last week as the final one by Goran Stevanovic who is due to reveal his men for the tournament in Gabon/Equatorial on December 15th at a press conference in Accra.

That list predictably omits Michael Essien who has not played this season and is due for a January return and Richard Kingson who has not played competitively since May this year and has been left out Stevanovic's last four squads. It does not also include in-form Olympic Marseille striker Jordan Ayew who has not been called up by Stevanovic for Ghana's last three games.

But Nyantekyie says that is "mere speculation which is normal in a football mad country". Instead he claims Stevanovic is still going through the final stages of his squad which he will defend before the 23-man executive committee of the Ghana Football Association before the Serbian addresses the press conference on December 15th.

He told a Nations Cup countdown series due to air on TV3 on the OtiAdjei Report that: "The selection of players is the sole preserve of the coach per his contract. Before the press conference there will be a meeting with the executive committee where he will defend the list.

“It’s not a war or a contest with the executive committee. We are all trying to build a strong team and so if concerns are made and he finds them legitimate he might listen. As we speak the coach is still going through the list, to see some players and make up his mind. "