Due to cultural differences, European-born players find it difficult to succeed on the national team, according to former Black Stars captain Stephen Appiah.
A number of footballers have changed their nationalities to play for the Black Stars under the direction of Kurt Okraku, President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA).
Many have performed below par for the national team, even when they have excelled at the club level.
In 19 appearances for Ghana, Inaki Williams has only managed one goal, and Antoine Semenyo’s playing time has fluctuated.
Other players who have had trouble getting regular call-ups include Stephen Ambrosius and Ransford Yeboah Konigsdorffer.
Appiah, who led Ghana to their first-ever World Cup in 2006, thinks that because they recognize the greater meaning of representing their country, players born in Ghana find it easier to fit in with the national squad.
Tornado added:
“We that we are coming from here; we know what it means to wear that shirt. Some of these foreign-born players can’t even speak our local language,” Appiah said speaking to Parliament’s Sport Select Committee on Wednesday, September 25.
“So it’s not like in our time when, after lunch or dinner, we would sit and try to interact, work with each other, do our prayers, and all that.
“Today, when you go to the camp, they [players born abroad] find it difficult to adapt because they don’t know the culture. It’s not that they disrespect the coaches. I haven’t seen that.”
Appiah, who made 67 appearances and scored 15 goals for Ghana, is known for leading the Black Stars to their historic quarter-final finish at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
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