Former Ghana midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu has called for all players who want to switch nationality to first play in the AFCON qualifiers before being selected for the 2022 World Cup.
The Black Stars booked their ticket to Qatar in March following a 1-1 aggregate scoreline against rivals Nigeria in the World Cup playoffs.
Since qualifying, a number of foreign-born players have reportedly expressed interest in joining the West African side for the Mundial.
The Ghana FA is currently on the radar of England-born players Callum Hudson-Odoi, Tariq Lamptey and Eddie Nketiah.
There is also interest in Spain-born Inaki Williams and his younger brother Nico Williams, who currently play for Athletic Bilbao.
Before the World Cup, though, the Black Stars will play in the 2023 AFCON qualifiers, where they’ve been paired in the same group with Madagascar, Angola and the Central African Republic (CAR).
Agyemang-Badu, who played for the Black Stars for a decade, believes the foreign-born players must prove their commitment by playing in the AFCON qualifiers before heading to Qatar.
“We should not rush and call players just because of the World Cup and lose them after,” the midfielder said.
“Those who wouldn’t have any problem switching nationality must be ready for the 2023 Afcon qualifiers so they get familiar with the terrain. It shouldn’t be that the player plays the World Cup and that’s it.”
This comes after Ghana legend Asamoah Gyan also suggested that it was unfair to drop players who toiled during the World Cup qualifiers for others who never kicked a ball.
According to him, any new players who will be added to the team must prove that they are better than the ones already in the squad.
Speaking to Accra-based Asaase Radio, the 36-year-old recalled how his senior brother Baffour Gyan was dropped for the 2006 World Cup despite playing a chunk of the qualifying matches.
“No player would like to be [left out], especially having played all the games. When these players come, they don’t even play one game. They just sit on the bench, get their bonuses and go, they don’t compete.
“If they bring these players, they have to show us something, they have to prove to people that they deserve to get into the team, that’s all I want. We all want the national team to be better,” he added.