Former Eleven Wonders coach, Enos Adepa has said he wouldn’t be surprised if any of the local based players currently with the Black Stars team in Dubai fail to make it to the continental showpiece in Egypt.
The 29 players are currently preparing for the tournament in Dubai but unfortunately, central defender, Musa Nuhu has been ruled out already as a result of injury.
The injury of the St. Gallen player has somehow given an opportunity to Hearts of Oak defender, Mohammed Alhassan to be included in the final squad since Coach Appiah is now left with only five central defenders, thus, Joseph Aidoo, Jonathan Mensah, Joseph Attamah, Kasim Nuhu and John Boye.
According to Adepa, the mentality and focus of Felix Anan, Abdul Fatawu and Mohammed Alhassan, who are the local based players in the team, will surely be a determining factor if they will make the final squad or not.
“On the field, they may perform but when it comes to individual and psychological effects that is where the problem lies,” he told Asempa Sports.
“It is a competition, so since they have gotten the chance to be with the team, they have to compete with the rest of the players and if they are not able to meet the target, then they will not make it.
“If it is your maiden appearance as a player in the team, there are a lot of mechanisms that you should consider; you have to know that it is not going to be easy for you. So if only the mentality and focus of [Felix Annan, Abdul Fatawu and Mohammed Alhassan] are at a certain level, then I think they can make it,” he added.
The team will play two international friendlies with Namibia and South Africa on the 9th and 14th of June respectively ahead of the 2019 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) from June 21 to July 19, 2019.
Coach Kwesi Appiah and his technical team would use the two friendlies to assess his team before the competition.
Source: Adomonline | Amenyoh Raphael | Asempa Sports
