Ben Owusu attacks Grant over local-based players snub

By Musah Abelyire December 18, 2016

Former Black Stars goal keeper Ben Owu has lashed out at Avram Grant for failing to give local based players a shot at the senior national team.

Speaking to Kwesi Koomson on Aseda FM, Owu who has also played for the Black Satellites and Starlets in the past expressed disgust at the Israeli’s inability to transform a single local-based player to a substantial Black Stars player.

He claimed that among all the past foreign coaches of the senior national team, Grant is the only manager not to have initiated any local based player into the setup of the team or beyond the shores of Ghana.

“Among all the expatriates or foreign coaches Black Stars have had, Avram Grant is the only coach who has not been able to transform a single local player. Every foreign coach that has coached Ghana has been able to turn atleast one local-based player to an international player. Avram Grant should give the local ;players the opportunity to play in the Black Stars” he lamented.

He however agreed with the current selection of goalkeepers saying a combination of Razak Braimah, Adam Kwarasey and Richard Ofori are justified enough to make it to the AFCON 2017 since the Ghana is league is not yet in flight hence no need to invite any local-based goalkeeper for the tournament.

“I think the three goalkeepers Razak Braimah, Adam Kwarasey and Richard Ofori should be maintained for the AFCON 2017 since the local goalkeepers will not be active before the start of the tournament” he asserted

The ex-Ghana national goalie backed Grant to take the team to the AFCON tournament explaining that any coach who replaces him at this point in time does not know the players well enough to succeed at the tournament.

“Grant should take Ghana to AFCON 2017 because any coach who comes in now does not know the players well enough”

Ben Owu has recently joined Obuasi-based Ashantigold as a goalkeeper’s trainer.

He has served in that capacity with Medeama SC in the past and looks to bring a range of experience to Ashantigold’s technical bench.

By Musah Abelyire/ghanaguardian.com/Akakpo Kakai/Ashh FM