Ziese goes for foreign-based players

....for Tunisia Assignment
Burkhard Ziese, the national team coach, has chosen Obuasi Goldfields goalkeeper Abubakari Kankani as the only locally based player for his Tunisian assignment from March 28 to March 30.

The coach will however put six local players on stand by in Ghana to be called up to augment the squad in case of injuries to some of the players in the team.

The German has invited 22 foreign-based players to camp in Frankfurt Germany, before departing to Tunisia. The North African country is hosting Guinea, Ghana and African champions Cameroon in a four-nation tournament. In the opening match, Tunisia plays Ghana and Madagascar play Cameroon.

Burkhard Ziese intends to see as many as possible of the foreign-based players to be able to assess their abilities. The coach believes it will be prudent and cost effective to use players who are based in Europe for the Tunisian trip since he has already held training sessions with the national select side.

Some of the foreign-based players who will feature in the Tunisian tournament are goalkeeper Richard Kingston (Elazigspor, Turkey), Captain Stephen Appiah, John Mensah (Chievo, Italy) and Charles Amoah (Sturm Graz, Austria).

Greek based Peter Ofori Quaye, Derek Boateng and Kofi Amponsah also got invitaions.

Daniel Edusei(pictured) having a great season with relegation threatened Cocenza in Itlian Serie B was also been invited to camp.

The rest are Razak Ibrahim (St Etienne), Samuel Osei Kufuor (Bayern Munich) and Lawrence Aidoo (Borussia M?nchengladbach). The most recent addition to the squad is Fanerbache defender Sam Johnson who has also been recalled after he was knocked out of the national team in June 2001. Though Johnson is bitter about his period of isolation he could not reject Burkhard’s invitation.