“Call-ups for all national teams go through processes, and people must understand this,” Okraku told Joy FM.
“Gone are the days when one person will wake up one day and name a national team, it will never happen again.
“The coach and his team will work with the technical directorate to select a squad, then they have to convince the Management Committee about the squad they have selected. Then there is a meeting – some I may attend, others I may select someone to represent me. When there is a consensus, the squad is then announced.
Like the Black Stars, there have also been reports that call-ups for the other national teams, including the home-base team B side, the U23s, U20s, U17s and U15s are heavily influenced by FA and management officials.
“I didn’t really start as a goalkeeper. My friends made me a goalkeeper and I have lived with it,” Ati-Zigi told Footballmadeinghana.
“I started playing football at the age of six as an outfield player. I was not a goalkeeper. I used to play with my friends in my area as a striker.
“One day we went to play and we didn’t have a goalkeeper so I went into the post, and that was it.
“We won the game. And that was my first time. My friends were impressed and encouraged me to keep being in goal and that was it.
It’s difficult to pick my most difficult opponent, I have enjoyed the different challenges. Paul Pogba, Sadio Mane, N’Golo Kante, there are so many. You go from two or three years ago watching these guys on TV to being on the same pitch as them, it’s a surreal feeling, Lamptey told his club s official website.
“When you’re walking out on the pitch, you know you’ve put in the work and deserve to be there. I was waiting for the chance so when you go up against those players you’re in the zone and want to get the best result possible. Nerves don’t come into it, I want to play with energy and fearlessness
Knowing myself and knowing what I’ve been through, I think I still have a lot to catch up with, Baba, who is currently playing on loan for Greek side PAOK from Chelsea, told Footballmadeinghana.
“But all the same I think it was an okay performance. I know this is football and many people don’t know what I’ve been through in the past few years. But I’m still trying to catch up with what I’ve lost and to get back to how I used to be.
Ghana s results from the back-to-back matches helped secure their 23rd appearance at Afcon, where they will be chasing after their first title since 1982.
The goal will certainly bring relief to Kamaldeen, who, following a strong start to the season, dipped in form as the regular season drew to a close last month.
His last goal, coming into Sunday s game, came against none other than AGF in November in what ended in a 3-1 home triumph.
His dip in form saw him lose his place in Ghana s squad for their November 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Sudan and for their recent Afcon qualifying matches against South Africa and Sao Tome and Principe.
His latest goal takes his tally to five in 21 Superliga matches so far this term.