Henry Asante Twum is the Communications Director of the GFA
The Communications Director for the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Henry Asante Twum, has acknowledged that players arriving late at national team camps is not unusual, emphasising that such situations are common in football.
This follows an outcry from some Ghanaians who witnessed the Black Stars’ first training session at the Accra Sports Stadium on Monday, March 17, 2025, as the team prepared for two crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Chad and Madagascar, scheduled for March 21 and 24, respectively.
Out of the 23 players called up by head coach, Otto Addo, only nine players were present, causing concern among fans who had expected full attendance given the importance of the games.
Among the players in attendance were goalkeepers Benjamin Asare (Accra Hearts of Oak), Lawrence Ati-Zigi (St Gallen), and Joseph Wollacott (Crawley Town). The training session also featured defenders Kamaradini Mamoud (Medeama SC), Mohammed Salisu (AS Monaco), Gideon Mensah (Auxerre), and Razak Simpson (Nations FC).
Premier League players Kamaldeen Sulemana (Southampton FC) and Antoine Semenyo (AFC Bournemouth) also participated.
Nonetheless, during an interview with Sporty FM, Twum dismissed the fans’ criticisms, explaining that late arrivals are a common occurrence due to the leagues in which the majority of the players compete.
“It’s very common, especially when 90% of your players play abroad,” he said.
Meanwhile, most of the players are expected to join the team on March 18, 2025, as preparations for the games continue.
Meanwhile, watch Minister of Sports Kofi Adams dismisses criticism of Black Stars’ commitment
You can also watch a compilation of the latest Twi news on GhanaWeb TV below:
FKA/AE