GFA give fresh update on Williams brothers, Eddie Nketiah, Tariq Lamptey & Hudson-Odoi’s nationality switch

Communications Director of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Henry Asante Twum as provided updates on his outfit’s reported pursuit for some Ghanaian players born abroad.

Following Ghana’s qualification to the 2022 World Cup, reports emerged that the Ghana FA has commenced the process of convincing some Ghanaian players born abroad who include Callum Hudson-Odoi, Tariq Lamptey and some few others to represent Ghana at the World Cup to be played in Qatar later this year.

“Well this issue is in two folds, the briefing I have had especially on the Inaki brothers is that we started the process even during the time of former President Nyantakyi. I was reliably informed from the handing over notes that he even met the father of the two players at that time,” said Henry Asante Twum.

“Then it was Inaki whose name was widely known but his junior brother was at the Bilbao academy team developing. The father said he will speak to his children but unfortunately things didn’t go well and we couldn’t make any progress as a country from that time.

“Since Kurt Okraku arrived, he has also made one or two moves, but the problem is that if you’re a Football Association and you’re pursuing Ghanaian players born abroad, you cannot do it alone, you’ll have to do it with the agreement or approval of whoever the coach of the team is.

“For instance, you go and change a player’s nationality and a coach comes and says he doesn’t want to work with him, you can’t insist or force the coach to work with the player. When we gave this job to Otto Addo? There were two things that he was clear about. The first one was to get Dennis Odoi to come and play for us and the second one was to get Elisha Owusu to come and play for us.

“We had already began the process to get Dennis Odoi three years ago, and we began the process for Elisha Owusu immediately Otto Addo said he needed him. We were able to complete the. long process within two weeks, permitting them to come and play for Ghana.

“Today, Dennis has become a household name and Elisha in the second half against Nigeria was one of our best performers, so it is not something only the Association decides, it must come from expert approval of the coach.

“So at the moment, all the names you’ve heard are good players and we will be glad if they join, because they’ll improve the team at the World Cup, but when we sort out the coach department and get proper direction for the technical team, they’ll tell us the players they like.

“It’s a long process switching nationality, the players must first write a letter declaring his desire to play for the team with a proof of his Ghanaian nationality. We then get consent of the players’ father, if the father agrees then he must also prove with his passport that he’s a Ghanaian.

“Then you take all these documents to the FIFA Player Status Committee. FIFA will then contact the player’s former Association for details. Before going back to the player’s father to ask him whether he gave his consent for his son to switch and what confirms he’s a Ghanaian. Then they get to the player before sitting on the documents to make a decision.

“So it’s a long process. Saying it is simple but on paper it is quite a difficult situation, so let’s be patient, whoever is willing to play for Ghana will not be denied that chance,” he ended.

Meanwhile, Otto Addo has confirmed that he will lead Ghana in the 2023 African Cup of Nation (AFCON) qualifiers and at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The FA is now focusing on finalizing talks with George Boateng, Didi Dramani and Chris Hughton.