Posted by Black Stars manager CK Akonnor has explained why he handed Baba Rahman call-up for next month’s African Cup of Nations qualifiers (AFCON) against Sudan.
Baba Rahman spent last season on loan at Real Mallorca from Chelsea, he managed just 289 minutes in all competitions.
On his return to Chelsea, he has failed to seal a place in the first team and was recently left out in the team registered to represent the club in the Premier league and UEFA Champions league.
But to surprise of many, he was named in the squad to represent Ghana in next month’s qualifiers against Sudan.
Defending the decision, CK Akonnor said: “Baba Rahman was once a regular player here; due to injury he was taken out. Now he is back, he is fit, he is playing very well with his team,” CK told GFA official website.
“Unfortunately, he has not had the chance to play in the first team. But he has had a couple of friendly matches since August, September and even recently 24th October, which he played against Liverpool’s second team.
“And these matches, he has played 90 minutes, some are 90 minutes, a lot of 90 minutes and of course 70 minutes. So, we have taken a lot of consideration, looking at the fact that we have a little bit of weakness within that area, the full backs so I thought it necessary to bring him to compete with Gideon on that side,” CK added.
Ghana will on Thursday, November 12, 2020 take on the North Africans in the first of a doubleheader tie at the Cape Coast stadium, before traveling to Khartoum, five days later for the reverse fixture