Former Ghana Football Association Vice President Fred Pappoe has urged Black Stars coach Chris Hughton to build the finest available group for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Ghana will attempt to make their fifth World Cup participation, but must finish ahead of Mali, Madagascar, Central African Republic, Comoros, and Chad in Group I in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Pappoe feels that this is only achievable if the participants in the assignment are chosen on merit.
According to him, it would be difficult to get the best out of players who are not actively playing at the club level, which is why the top performers must be considered to ensure that the coach’s ideas are carried out properly.
“I think we can qualify. It doesn’t matter the opponent we are facing because the game in Africa has now risen.
“Sometimes we Ghanaians don’t like to accept that the game has been more competitive compared to the past.
“I think the best way we can increase our qualification chances is to make use of the FIFA calendar to prepare adequately because you won’t get time to camp for three or four weeks. You don’t have that chance that thing is no more,” he told Peace FM.
“A match is likely to coincide with the international break or when various leagues have ended just as it is now.
“The only time players can be available for an international assignment is within those times. Even with that, it is for a short stint because they would be released by their clubs for a short time so the coach doesn’t get enough time with them.
“So what we need to do is make sure that if we are calling the 25 or 26 they would be our best at a time they are playing actively in their various teams. We won’t have time for the coach to teach them for a set amount of time in order for them to gel effectively. We only need to call our best and approach [the games] with our best,” he added.
