Roberto De Zerbi, the manager of Brighton & Hove Albion, has expressed surprise and confusion over the pre-selection of injured right-back Tariq Lamptey in Ghana’s squad for the upcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Despite Lamptey being sidelined due to injury with an uncertain return date, he finds himself among the 55 players selected by Ghana’s head coach, Chris Hughton. De Zerbi, during a press conference on Thursday, openly questioned Hughton’s decision, emphasizing the current unavailability of Lamptey for Brighton.
In his statement, De Zerbi remarked, “The Ghana coach is not looking at the Premier League because I don’t know how long we play without Tariq Lamptey. He [Tariq] is not available to play for Brighton, how can he play for Ghana?”
The provisional squad, which includes Lamptey, will eventually be trimmed down to 27 players who will represent Ghana in the biennial AFCON competition.
The inclusion of an injured player in the initial selection has raised eyebrows and fueled speculation about the decision-making process.
Ghana, positioned in Group B, is set to commence its AFCON campaign against Cape Verde on January 14, followed by encounters with Egypt and Mozambique.
The anticipation for success is intensified by the fact that Ghana’s last AFCON victory dates back to the year 1982.
As the football world awaits further developments and the finalization of Ghana’s squad for the prestigious tournament, questions surrounding Lamptey’s fitness and inclusion persist, adding an element of intrigue to the unfolding narrative of the 2023 AFCON.
