E K AFRANIE, Ghana’s Under-20 coach, has dropped Frank Wietner, Bernard Dong Bortey, Yusif Chibsah and Ibrahim Attiku from his squad.

The German-based Wietner has been axed for failing to make the grade, whilst James Owusu-Ansah, a Mexican-based player who was also invited, was nearly dropped as according to the coach, he couldn't be assessed because he was indisposed at that time.

Coach Afranie, who has come under intense public criticism for his decision to drop local players like Ishmael Addo, Stephen Oduro, Stephen Tetteh, Charles Taylor and Lawrence Kainyah, had invited Italian side Empoli's midfielder, Razak Ibrahim, but surprisingly his name was left out of the final list, as he was tipped to take the place of Frank Wietner.

The Satellites are expected in Germany, where they will be playing against the German Under-20 team to round up their preparations for the World Youth Championships, which kicks off on June 17 in Argentina.

PLAYERS WHO made the team to represent Ghana in the FIFA/COCA-COLA World Youth Championships are: Anthony Obodai, Michael Essien, John Mensah, Derek Boateng, Razak Pimpong and James Owusu Mensah, all foreign-based players.

The locally-based players who made it into Afranie's final 18 are goalkeepers Maxwell Owusu Banahene and George Owoo, Abass Inusah, Issa Yusif, Emmanuel Pappoe, Sulley Muntari and Kwaku Duah.

The rest are Patrick Villars, Frank Osei, John Paintsil, Samuel Okaijia Thompson and William Amamoo.

Meanwhile, one of the dropped local stars, Ishmael Addo, returned from Italy where he was on trial with Lecce and expressed surprise at being dropped from the final team.

Afranie explained that it is a new policy by the Ghanaian FA to build the squad for Ghana's 2006 World Cup qualifiers, since Ishmael and co are now mature enough to be in the full side, the Black Stars.