Don't build Black Stars solely around local players - Augustine Ahinful urges national team technical team handlers

Former Ghana international, Augustine Ahinful, has stressed the importance of not solely relying on locally based players for the Black Stars.

This statement comes in response to suggestions to prioritize domestic talent in order to strengthen the national team.

While Ahinful acknowledges the value of integrating talented local players, he emphasizes the need for a balanced approach.

He proposes that while some local players should be given the chance to gain experience with the Black Stars, it would be unwise to depend solely on them to deliver results in major tournaments.

"I'm not saying some of them don't deserve to be in the team. I'm saying that some players should join the national team to gain experience and integrate properly, but we cannot rely solely on local players for the Black Stars," he told Graphic Sports.

Ahinful reflected on past generations of the Black Stars, where the majority of the squad consisted of locally based players. However, he recognized that football has evolved since then, with more players now plying their trade abroad.

He pointed out the maturity and experience of past local players, contrasting them with the current crop who may not be as prepared for the demands of international competition.

''Gone are the days when players were very mature. Back then, all the backline players of the national team were locally based. When I started following the national team, almost 80 per cent were local-based because professional football outside of Ghana was not as common,'' he said.

Meanwhile, the Black Stars will regroup for their 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Mali and the Central African Republic (CAR) in June for the Matchday three and four fixtures.