Otto Addo makes u-turn, invites Samed Abdul Salis for World Cup

Black Stars coach Otto Addo has included Lens midfielder, Samed Abdul Salis in Ghana’s provisional squad for the 2022 World Cup. Samed confirmed to sportsworldghana.com that he has received an invitation from Otto Addo to be part of the team. “The coach sent me a message this (Saturday) morning, he said to me: “You are going to be on the list.” Salis indicated. Samed expressed hope that he will be part of the main squad, detailing that it will be a dream come true for him to be on the plane to Qatar. “Everyone’s dream is to be at the World Cup and that is my dream too. I want to be in the final 26.” he added. The call-up marks a u-turn from Otto Addo who left the midfielder out of his team for the pre-World Cup friendlies against Brazil and Nicaragua. Otto Addo explained that he took the decision because Salis had earlier rejected invitations for the four-nation tournament played in Japan. "Salis Abdul Samed, he played at Clermont Foot with Alidu Seidu, I called the two in May, and we still have a list with players on stand-by to be prepared in the event that players are injured,” coach Addo said as quoted by Africa Football News. "Alidu Seidu told me that there was no problem with him not being on the reserve list and being ready just in case. "But Salis Abdul Samed told me he didn’t want to be on the reserve list. Then we had a lot of injuries in June, so I invited Alidu Seidu but Abdul Samed didn’t want to be a reservist so he wasn’t on the list, I couldn’t invite him. "So, he is the one who excludes himself from the list?” Yes, that’s it," he added. With barely a month left for the World Cup, reports continue to filter in that coach Otto Addo will name a 30-man squad for the tournament. Countries are allowed to have a 26-man team for the global football showpiece.