President of Tema Youth Football Club, Wilfred Osei Palmer has confirmed that Joseph Paintsil has been axed from Ghana final squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.[ads2]
The 24-year old winger was named in Ghana 55-man provisional list for the World Cup but has been dropped despite his explosive performance for Genk in the Belgian league this season.
However Osei Palmer, known for nurturing Paintsil at Tema Youth has confirmed that Ghana coach Otto Addo has informed the Genk winger of his exclusion from the Black Stars final 26-man squad for the mundial.
Speaking on Kumasi-based Pure FM, the ace football administrator stated that the manner in which Otto Addo informed Paintsil about his exclusion from the final squad was very disrespectful and unprofessional.
“I can confirm that Paintsil has been dropped but the manner in which it was done was very unprofessional, very unprofessional on the part of coach Otto Addo”, he said.[ads3]
“I think it wasn’t the best for the coach to have been calling the players who have been snubbed since there are experienced people at the GFA who could have done that. Otto Addo called Paintsil to tell him that there are other players who are better than him, which I think is very degrading. There was no need for that comparative analysis but myself and everyone closed to Paintsil have called to encourage him”, he added.
Osei Palmer ended by saying, “I know there is more to his exclusion that what is in the public domain, financial politics at the GFA caused Paintsil’s snub.”
Meanwhile, there is a report that Crystal Palace midfielder Jeffrey Schlupp, Felix Afena-Gyan of Cremonese and Majeed Ashmeru have been dropped from the final 26-man squad.[ads4]
Coach Otto Addo is expected to announce Ghana final squad on Monday, November 14
The 26 players will leave for Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates for the final preparations on November 14 where the Black Stars will play Switzerland in a pre-World Cup friendly on November 17 before heading to Qatar.
Ghana is in group A of the World Cup alongside Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea.
Ghana will begin the World Cup campaign against Portugal before playing South Korea and Uruguay.[ads5]