Sports News of Tuesday, 26 November 2019

Source: ghanaguardian.com

Suspension of football didn't help - Felix Annan

Asante Kotoko goalkeeper, Felix Annan Asante Kotoko goalkeeper, Felix Annan

The absence of league competition has marred the career of many players for the past years, Asante Kotoko goalkeeper, Felix Annan has said.

Annan believes the suspension of the league in 2018 has done more harm than good to the main actors- players- of the Ghana premier league.

In June 2018, government suspended all football activities in the country following corruption expose' by investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

He blames the lack of opportunities for local players in the Black Stars to the suspension of football activities in the country.

The former WAFA man, believes but for the suspension of competitive football in the country more local players would have had the opportunity to be part of the national team.

"The absence of the league has had a negative impact in our careers because may be if the league was going on players would have gotten the opportunity to play in the national team”, he told GraphicSports.

"May be players would have had the chance to travel outside or have a better contract somewhere but since football wasn’t going on it was going to be difficult for players to exhibit their talents so I can say in some way it didn’t really help”, he admitted.

Annan and Fatawu Mohammed of Accra Hearts of Oak were the only local players to have made it in the 23-man squad of Coach Kwasi Appiah for Ghana’s doubleheader Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against South Africa and Sao Tome and Principe in November.

Mohammed was only drafted into the team at the late hour when Spain-based Salisu Mohammed had pulled out of the squad due to injury.

The suspension saw only Kotoko being the sole Ghanaian club to have participated in the 2018/19 CAF inter-club competition, for being the reigning FA cup Champions in the previous year.

Despite that Annan has is glad the league had finally returned and was looking forward to a more exciting league than the previous one.