Former Ghana international Sarfo Gyamfi has attributed the mass departure of players from the domestic scene to the persistent snubbing of home-based footballers by the Black Stars.
Players who ply their trade in Ghana barely receive invitations to the national team, with Hearts of Oak goalkeeper Benjamin Asare emerging as the only consistent home-based player in the Black Stars.
Speaking to Kessben FM, the former Asante Kotoko star blamed the continuous exclusion of local players for the rampant departure of talent from the domestic leagues.
“Players in the local scene are not motivated enough to stay. The players prefer to play outside Ghana because of the persistent Black Stars snub. They believe playing abroad or outside Ghana can only earn them a call-up into the national team.”
“In previous years, home-based players were dominating in the Black Stars and that was enough motivation for players to stay in the league. Kotoko had 12 players in the Black Stars during our playing days, but the narrative has changed,” he said.
The mass exodus of players in the domestic top-flight has affected the standard of the Ghana Premier League and other leagues in the country.
Most players who perform well in the local scene join other clubs on the African continent or move to Europe for greener pastures.
Meanwhile, a chunk of Ghanaian football fanatics have advocated for the inclusion of home-based players in the Black Stars for the impending 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament to be staged in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
