Drop Philemon Baffour from Black Stars – Coach J.E Sarpong

Outspoken Ghanaian coach Joseph Emmanuel Sarpong, popularly known as J.E Sarpong, is of the opinion that Philemon Baffour should be dropped from the Black Stars squad if he is unable to command playing time.

The 20-year-old right-back, who plays for Dreams FC, has retained his place in the team despite his failure to make a single appearance in his last 6 straight call-ups.

When South Africa defeated Ghana in Charles Akonnor’s last game in charge Baffour was part of the squad before Hearts of Oak Fatawu Mohammed was handed a late call-up. But, the former Ghana U20 defender failed to earn the starting place as Fatawu got the nod.

During Rajevac’s first game in charge Reading FC’s Andy Yiadom, who is the regular right-back, failed to gain fitness for the match and as a result, a right-back was needed.

Despite being available in the team, the Serbian preferred to go shift Daniel Amartey to the right-back role.

However, Sarpong who is a former footballer and former assistant coach of the Black Stars believes that the U20 AFCON winner should be dropped if he is not ready to fight for playing time.

“Milovan is not the first coach to invite Philimon to the Black Stars. During C.K Akonnor’s time, he invited him as well. Who invited Philimon to the Black Stars in the first place? What did the person see? If he is being invited to come and train with the Black Stars alone then that is not good enough because if that is the criteria we can get a lot of people to go and train with the team. Me as a technical man, if he doesn’t feature in my team I will drop him. If his quality is not up to the standard required to play for the Black Stars then he should get back to the Black Stars B to pick up from there,” he told Andy Obeng Kwaku on Asempa FM’s SportsNite.

A number of Ghanaian fans have raised questions about the inclusion of Baffour in the squad.