Former Ghana goalkeeper Abubakar Damba has lauded the return of Adam Larsen Kwarasey to the Black Stars, stating that his presence would enhance competition in the goalkeeping department of the team.
Kwarasey, 28, has not featured for the Black Stars for close to two years following an alleged row with goalkeeper’s trainer Nassamu Yakubu during the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
But the Portland Timber’s goalie has accepted to return to the team and has been named in Ghana’s 23 man squad to battle Mozambique over two successive games in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Damba tells Kumasi-based Bohye FM that the return of the former Stromsgodset shot-stopper is in the right direction as Avram Grant would benefit from his enormous experience.
‘’Most of the time I was advocating that Adam Kwarasey should come back to play for the national team. It doesn’t mean we don’t have good goalkeepers in the country. We have great goalkeepers here,’’ the former Black Stars goalkeepers’ trainer told Bohye FM in Kumasi.
‘’We have had challenges with our goalkeeping department but we could get a consistent one that we could say he is our number one,’’
‘’Every coach does not want to rely on one goalkeeper because anything can happen. The person may fall sick or get injured in a game. So if you have somebody like Adam Kwarasey who is very good, very matured, very competitive and well experienced, then you can relax a little bit. At any time you can fall on one if something happens in a game.
‘’So with his inclusion, I know the competition will go up. He may even bring on board some innovations, he can even reclaim his number one slot or even his presence will sound some warning to the rest to perform above themselves.’’
Many expected the former Chelsea trainer to name Ashanti Gold’s Dauda Fatau in his squad but Damba feels that the Black Stars technical handlers didn’t err inviting Razak Braimah and Richard Ofori. According to him, they are the best the country can boast of at the moment.
‘’Razak (Braimah) has been our number one for sometime now and ihat’s wonderful. So his inclusion on point likewise Wa All Stars boy Richard Ofori.’’
Kwarasey made his Black Stars debut in 2011 and has since featured 22 times for the country.
By Daniel Osei