GFA must focus on local players - Afranie

Former Coach of the Black Stars, Emmanuel Afranie wants Ghana to follow the example of successful teams at the just ended Nations Cup, by incorporating more locally based players into the senior national team.

The Black Stars failed to make it to the finals of the tournament in South Africa and with the World Cup qualifiers beckoning, there have been heavy talks of beefing up the team with key players who were missing in Ghana's last continental showing.

The former Coach who doubles as a member of the Black Stars Technical Committee, ignored such suggestions insisting, inadequate preparation was the bane of the team at the tourney. He urged the Football Association to pay more attention to Ghanaian players plying their trade in the country.

"I would prefer that in future, we take a very serious look at the Local Black Stars, because they can camp for longer periods and build the sort of team cohesion needed for winning various tournaments. Some teams did that this time round to great effect and the performance of our local players should encourage us to give them a chance,” he said, on the JOY Sports Link, Saturday.

Sterling performances of local players including goal keeper, Fatau Dauda, midfielder Solomon Asante, and defenders Awal Mohammed and Kissi Boateng at this year's Nations cup, are now the reference points for such debates and Head Coach Kwasi Appiah would be on the lookout as the Glo premier league 2nd round begins