Ex-Ghana star backs Obi Mikel, says local players are better than foreign-born stars

• A Ghana icon has echoed the criticism of Nigeria legend John Obi Mikel of aged foreign-born players joining African national teams
• According to him, it is even disrespectful to select a foreign-born player over a local talent for the national team
• Mikel has criticised foreign-born players who only opt to play for African teams after being overlooked by European countries

Former Ghana striker Prince Tagoe is calling for an end to the selection of foreign-born players, backing Obi Mikel's perspective on older foreign-born players treating African national teams as a secondary option.

Nigerian legend Mikel expressed frustration with players who turn to African nations only after failing to secure a spot on European teams, arguing that African countries should not be seen as fallback options.

A Ghana legend echoed the criticism of Ngeria legend John Obi Mikel of aged foreign-born players joining African national teams. Photos: Jared Tilton/Visionhaus.
Source: UGC

Per Ghanaweb, the ex-Chelsea midfielder urged players to commit to their international careers early, rather than waiting until their prime is over to show interest in representing their African heritage.

Ex-Ghana striker Tagoe supports Mikel’s stance, asserting that foreign-born players are not superior to their African counterparts in the first place.

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In an interview with Legit.ng, Tagoe questioned:

"Which of these foreign-born players has performed better than Kudus Mohammed, Andre Ayew, or Asamoah Gyan?""It's even disrespectful to call a player from outside and reject those born in Ghana," he added."These foreign players don't even care about the Black Stars. They only come here when they don't get a call-up from a European country."

Tagoe also highlighted issues within Ghana's scouting network, suggesting that better local talent could be discovered with improved scouting efforts.

"We have a poor scouting system here. The coaches are even lazy. They don't go to the villages to scout. If we conduct serious scouting, we'll find better players than those from abroad," the ex-Hearts of Oak star opined.

He believes that prioritising players with local roots would not only enhance the team’s performance but also maintain its unity and cultural identity.

"The European mentality of these players can disrupt team harmony," Tagoe warned.

Kudus, Semenyo on target

Meanwhile, five Ghanaian players were on target for their clubs in pre-season over the weekend.

Ghanaian players have been very busy in pre-season as they prepare for the upcoming season with their clubs in Europe.

From Mohammed Kudus to Jordan Ayew and Thomas Partey, several Black Stars players with their teams in either Asia or America for their pre-season tour.

Mikel Obi slams players of African descent

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Mikel Obi has urged players of African descent to respect the continent when choosing their international football career path.

The former Chelsea midfielder, who retired in 2022, lamented that footballers with African roots only make the decision to play for the black continent when their preferred country ignores them.

A number of players of African descent currently play for their heritage at the international level, and Mikel expressed concerns.

Source: YEN.com.gh