New Edubiase president Abdul Salam Yakubu claims players affiliated to former Ghana FA officials Wilfred Osei Kwaku “Palmer” and George Afriyie have been blacklisted from the Ghana Under-20 team.
The highly experienced football administrator has taken a potshot at the Kurt Okraku administration, claiming call-ups into the team were not based on merit.
He took a subtle jab at the current administration over accusation of influence peddling insisting any player affiliated to defeated Ghana FA presidential hopeful George Afriyie and Tema Youth owner Wilfred Osei Kwaku won’t be given a look-in.
The Black Satellites qualification to the 2021 Africa Youth Championship has been overshadowed by sustained accusation of influence peddling in the team.
Karim Zito’s side managed to sneak into the continental championship via the lottery of a penalty shoot-out against less-fancied Niger in Benin on Tuesday.
Bu the qualification has not stopped tongues wagging over allegations of unfair and bias call-ups.
“Your player won’t play in the current Black Satellites team if you are affiliated with Palmer or George Afriyie,” Abdul Salam claimed on Asempa FM
Despite qualifying to the final of the tournament and booking a ticket for the 2021 CAF U20 Cup of Nations in Mauritania, Yakubu is unimpressed.
To some, it could be sour grapes since the candidate he campaigned for in the Ghana FA presidential election got defeated by Kurt in 2019.
Abdul Salam is seething with rage after his player Salim Adam was dropped for the tournament in Benin.
He feels the midfielder was given a raw deal and went on rampage on social media, accusing the current Ghana FA administration of selfishness.
The 27-man squad called up for the tournament in the neighboring country are dominated by players aligned to Black Satellites management committee members and associates, it has been claimed in the local media.
The move has been heavily criticized amid accusation of bias and unfair call-ups into the team – an action which appears to have divided the football front.
