Ghanaian diaspora players are not coming just for Qatar World Cup – Otto Addo
Head coach of the senior national team, Otto Addo says that Ghanaian players born abroad are not joining just to play in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
He says that players who decide to switch nationality must think through it very deeply before they make the switch.
Worried critics who think these foreign born talents are in for the good time have cited the unwillingness of these players born abroad to play in AFCON qualifiers where they travel to obscure parts of the continent.
KP Boateng for instance played at two World Cups for Ghana at the 2010 and 2014 but never played at the AFCON and barely featured during qualifiers citing all manner of excuses.
“This is why they really have to think about what to do. Especially if you’re not born in this environment, it’s not always easy,” he told BBC
“But they know what they stand to get. And first of all, it’s a lot of joy and love.
“And surely also for them. It’s not only about the World Cup, but also about more World Cups to come. It’s about African Cup of Nations. It’s about winning, being successful. So, it’s not about just this one World Cup in Qatar.”
Five out of the six are foreign-born players with Ghanaian parents or descent have now completed their nationality switch.
Ghana has been on the trail of a number of young Ghanaian players playing in Europe and elsewhere with the likes of Tariq Lamptey, Eddie Nketiah, Inaki Williams and Callum Hudson-Odoi all on the radar.
The German born trio of Stephan Ambrosius, Patrick Pfeffer and Ransford-Yeboah Konigsdorffer have all committed themselves to playing for Ghana and their nationality switch have been completed in time to play for Ghana at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Tariq Lamptey’s switch has also been completed with the Brighton full back expected to be name in Ghana’s AFCON 2023 qualifier squad to face Angola in September.
The likes of Eddie Nketiah and Callum Hudson-Odoi are still mulling whether to commit to Ghana or otherwise with time running out especially for Hudson-Odoi who has been capped by England.
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