Didi Dramani: Player selection from massive scouting network
The Black Stars technical team, headed by Coach Otto Addo, has opened up its scouting network to cover as many as 500 Ghanaian players worldwide in their frantic bid to transform the senior national team into a winsome side.
The move is to mobilise the numerous top talents scattered across the globe to help make an impact in the FIFA World Cup and also restore the nation's glorious past which saw the Black Stars savouring their fourth and last Africa Nations Cup (AFCON) trophy in Libya in 1982.
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Assistant coach, Mas-Ud Didi Dramani, who disclosed this to Daily Graphic during a working visit to the Right to Dream (RTD) Academy a few days ago, said the idea was to get a structure for the Black Stars and the other national teams.
"We are opening up the scouting network. So far we've about 500 Ghanaian players in the database we are monitoring.
"We see them all but we need some in the short-term, some in the medium term and others in the long term," he explained.
He said the players in the database are those who are playing actively for their clubs not only in Europe but in other parts of the world as well. He said as they continued to monitor these players closely, what was expected of them to enhance their chances of breaking into the national team was to keep playing regularly without injuries.
According to him, what the Stars technical team had been able to achieve since taking over the Black Stars in February was to put up a structure for the various national teams.
"I think the best we've been able to do now is to put up a structure which will trickle down to the other national teams. Because of what we want to achieve, we talk a lot to the other national team coaches," he noted.
He said it was that effective monitoring system that led to the inclusion of Crystal Palace's Jeffrey Schlupp and Salis Abdul Samed in Ghana's preliminary 55-man squad that was submitted to FIFA barely two weeks ago.
The celebrated coach, who was named after the Brazilian legend Didi, hinted that a provisional list of 30 players of the 55 FIFA list would be submitted to FIFA this Wednesday (November 2).
"Out of the 30-man provisional squad, 23 or 26 players will be submitted for the tournament," he disclosed further.
He, however, explained that per the FIFA rules, the final 23 or 26 players could only be picked from the preliminary 55-man squad. The same rule will apply in case of a last-minute injury to any player in the final squad.
That means only players in the 30-man provisional squad who will assemble in Abu-Dhabi on November 14 when the Stars resume camping ahead of their final pre-World Cup friendly against Switzerland on November 17.
But despite Ghana's poor showing against Brazil and Nicaragua last month, Coach Dramani believes Ghanaians will see an improved performance against Switzerland, prior to their departure to Doha for the tournament which kicks off on November 20.
"The Switzerland game will really tell what we are going to do in Qatar and I believe the team will be ready.
"We're very positive in what we are doing and we only have control of what we can do.
"We learnt a lot from the game against Brazil. And against Nicaragua we also learnt how to play against a team which can sit back and soak pressure from their opponents," he recalled.
He described Qatar 2022 as a special World Cup because the timing would not allow teams adequate time to prepare as previously.
"This is a special World Cup because there is not much preparation time. But we will make the most out of what we have to get the team ready for every challenge," he assured.
Interference
Coach Dramani seized the opportunity to exonerate officialdom from the alleged interference in player selection in the senior national team.
"Let me say that there has never been any interference from the GFA President, Kurt (Simeon-Okraku) since we were appointed.
"No official has ever imposed any player on us so far. He (Kurt) can only share his opinion like anybody else, but he has never imposed any player on us," he emphasised.
According to him the technical team, headed by Otto Addo, is fully in charge of player selection without any interference from the GFA president or any other official.
Probable Provisional Squad
Goalkeepers: Joseph Wollacott, Richard Ofori, Lawrence Ati-Zigi, Abdul Nurudeen, Ibrahim Danlad
Defenders: Denis Odoi, Alexander Djiku, Daniel Amartey, Baba Rahman, Mohammed Salisu, Gideon Mensah, Joseph Aidoo, Alidu Seidu, Stephen Ambrosius, Tariq Lamptey, Jeffrey Schlupp
Midfielders: Andre Ayew, Thomas Partey, Kudus Mohammed, Baba Iddrisu, Daniel Kofi Kyereh, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, Joseph Paintsil, Osman Bukari, Elisha Owusu
Forwards: Jordan Ayew, Daniel Afriyie Barnieh, Inaki Williams, Felix Afena Gyan.
