We can't gamble with local players- Black Meteors coach

Assistant coach of Ghana'sUnder 23 Black national team, Michael Osei has revealed that it will be difficult for the Black Meteors technical team to give opportunity to local base players for the upcoming African U23 championship in Egypt.

An 18-man local contingent was assembled to begin camping for the tournament with the foreign complement of the team expected to join them in the coming weeks.

The Black Meteors technical team has come under criticism for not giving equal opportunity to the locally based players but speaking in an interview with Atinka Sports, assistant coach Michael Osei admitted that they had no other option.

"The teams we are going to face are active and have prepared for more than five(5) months, so we can’t gamble and use our local based players for such international tournament. No way", the former Asante Kotoko trainer said.

"In any case we didn’t use the locally based players in any of our past matches. Togo, Gabon, Algeria we didn’t used them, the foreign based players played all these matches because they are active, i don’t see the qualms about this.

"look is not easy as people see it, if you’ve been a footballer before, you will understand we can’t use the locally based players for such international tournament.” He ended.

Ghana has been drawn in group A along with host nation Egypt, Cameroon and Mali for the competition which serves as Tokyo 2020 Olympic games Qualifier.