Sports News of Wednesday, 7 December 2022

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Four players who should consider their Black Stars future after World Cup exit

L-R Jordan, Rahman, Partey, Dede Ayew L-R Jordan, Rahman, Partey, Dede Ayew

The Black Stars of Ghana burst out of the FIFA World Cup from the group stages, managing only one win.

Ghana were in pole position to progress to the knout stage but bottled it after losing 2-0 to old foes Uruguay in the final group stage game.

Following a second disappointing group stage exit at a major tournament in 2022, some key players have been chastised for a shambolic display.

GhanaWeb look into four players who should consider their future at the Black Stars after the World Cup exit.

Jordan Ayew

In the current Black Stars squad, Jordan Ayew is one of the most criticized players, if not the most.

His mistakes at the World Cup was glaring and due to his previous poor performances, many could not sweep them under the radar.

The 31-year-old has passed his prime and does not impact the team as he did during his early years.

He has played two World Cups and five AFCON tournaments. Safe to say he has paid his dues for the national team and thus bowing out should be the right decision.

Dede Ayew

Some Ghanaians have pointed fingers at Black Stars skipper Andre Dede Ayew, questioning his contribution to the team.

Andre is undoubtedly a great player but at age 32 and playing in a less competitive League in the Gulf, it is obvious that the team should be looking forward without him.

The team should be looking into the future with some exciting youngsters, therefore being stagnant, and relying on Dede as a key component of the squad becomes problematic.

The Al-Sadd man has seen it all in his international career, from leading Ghana under-20 to win World Cup to lead the Black Stars.

Andre Ayew has been a member of the Black Stars since his debut in 2008, but since becoming a skipper, he has led the team to two group-stage exits in two tournaments- the 2021 AFCON and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

After playing in three World Cups and over five AFCON tournaments and scoring 13 goals in both tournaments, Dede Ayew has given everything to draw the curtains.

Thomas Partey

Thomas Partey is one of the few names who suffered a backlash from Ghanaians for poor performance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

There have been consistent complaints about Party not being committed to the Black Stars unlike his commitment to Arsenal.

The 29-year-old is already at the twilight of his international career, hence, it would be a good step to plan the future without the Arsenal star.


Baba Rahaman

Abdul Baba Rahaman had a topsy-turvy outing at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He has been heavily criticized and blamed as one of the reasons Ghana suffered an early exit.

The Reading defender since his superb performance at the 2015 AFCON has struggled to reach the same level.

He joined Chelsea in the summer of 2015 and has not been himself since the move. He is currently at Reading for his seventh loan spell after struggling to find his feat at the Blues.

His struggles to secure a permanent move from Chelsea due to his poor performances and injuries have seen a decline in his performances for the Black Stars.

At age 28, he could take a break from international football and get his club career back on track before making a return to the national team.


EE/KPE