Former Ghana coach James Kwesi Appiah has expressed his support for the Black Stars squad selected for the upcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The squad, announced by current coach Chris Hughton, includes notable players such as Andre Ayew, Jordan Ayew, Inaki Williams, Daniel Amartey, and others.
The selection features only three local players—Abdul Fatawu Hamidu and Jonathan Sowah from Medeama, and Richmond Lamptey from Kotoko.
Appiah, who is currently the head coach of the Sudan national team, voiced his satisfaction with the squad but emphasized the importance of the coach making bold decisions regarding the starting lineup and substitutions.
He believes that the team, with the right decision-making, has the potential to compete at any level.
The former Atletico Madrid star and deputy captain, Thomas Partey, will miss the AFCON tournament due to an ongoing hamstring injury.
Partey, named in the provisional 55-man squad, has not played in a match since October, and the decision to exclude him from the final squad reflects a cautious approach to ensure his overall well-being.
Ghana, placed in Group B alongside Cape Verde, Egypt, and Mozambique, will kick off their AFCON campaign on January 13, 2024.
The tournament is scheduled to run until February 11, 2024. Ghana has a rich history in the AFCON, having won the title four times, with the last victory in 1982.
Despite reaching three finals since then, they have faced defeats, including losses to Ivory Coast in 1992 and 2015, and to Egypt in 2010.
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