The local players will just add up to the numbers - J.E Sarpong on Black Stars callup

Ghana announces 30-man provisional list for AFCON

David Abagna, Maxwell Abbey handed debut Black Stars callup

Five local players included in the Black Stars provisional list

Outspoken Ghanaian coach J.E Sarpong has said the local players called into the Black Stars for the upcoming African Cup of Nations (AFCON) are just to make up the numbers.

The veteran coach believes none of the players called will be given minutes at the tournament.

Black Stars head coach, Milovan Rajevac, on Tuesday, December 21, 2021, announced a provisional list of 30 players for the tournament in which 5 local-based players were included.

"Even if five or six local players are called, what is the assurance that they will play? They will sit on the bench. Even on the bench how many of them will make it to the reserves. So whatever you will say they will always go for the foreign players to come and play", JE Sarpong told Asempa FM.

Great Olympics striker Maxwell Abbey Quaye, Real Tamale United midfielder David Abagna, Hearts of Oak goalkeeper Richard Attah, and Dreams FC duo Fatawu Issahaku and Philemon Baffour are the five local players to have appeared on the list.

Among the five, Abbey and Abagna have received what is their debut callup. They share the first two spots on the Ghana Premier League goal king chart.

Abbey lies a goal behind Abagna who is on 8 goals in the league thus far after 9 matches.