Premier League clubs refuse to release players for Black Meteors friendlies

•The Black Meteors have friendly matches against Japan and South Korea

•The Meteors are expected to leave Ghana today but without some of their key players

•Hearts, Karela and Olympics have withdrawn some of their players

The Ghana Football Association and handlers of the national Under-23 are having a challenge raising a team for the friendly matches against Japan and Korea with Premier League teams unwilling to release their players for the two games.

Coach Paa Kwesi Fabin announced a 23-man squad last month for the two matches with players in the GPL dominating.

But with the Ghana Premier League reaching the business period, clubs have indicated their unwillingness to allow their players join the Black Meteors.

The clubs are questioning the importance of the friendly matches while hitting out at the FA over its failure to postpone next week’s round of Premier League games.

Karela United on Monday, May 31, 2021 announced that their players Diawisie Taylor and Richard Baidoo will not be part of the squad.

Reports by Angel FM this morning also indicate that Hearts of Oak have informed the FA that midfielders Salifu Ibrahim and Afriyie Barnieh will not be allowed to join the Meteors as the team is currently chasing its first league title in over a decade.

Local media outlets are reporting that aside Hearts of Oak and Karela United, King Faisal and Great Olympics have withdrawn their players from the squad.

GhanaWeb gathers that Kotoko’s Imoro Ibrahim may be allowed to travel but Yussif Mubarik will not be granted permission to play in the two friendlies. Relegation battlers King Faisal will not give striker Kwame Peprah the green light to be part of the Meteors team.

The team is set to leave Ghana today for the two matches in Asia.