I am surprised with Alfred Duncan’s retirement decision – Otto Addo

Head coach of the Black Stars, Otto Addo has said he is saddened by Alfred Duncan’s early retirement from the national team, the Black Stars.

The Fiorentina midfielder over the weekend announced his decision to quit the national team over what he described as discrimination and unfair treatment by the Ghana Football Association [GFA].

Otto Addo claims he made a final attempt to invite the 29-year-old in February for the 2022 World Cup play-off against Nigeria but the ex-Inter Milan and Sassuolo player stated his reasons for his inability to honor the call-up.

According to him, he is surprised by Duncan’s decision to retire early.

“The last time I called him was February. We had good talks. I wanted to invite him. He told me the reason why he didn’t want to come. That’s it, I had to accept it. It was hard for me to understand him because he had the opportunity to join a team that’s going to the World Cup but he has his reasons and I have to accept it,” Addo, 46, told the media at a pre-match presser on Tuesday.

“He congratulated me when we qualified, texted me. He is a good guy but he had a bad experience. The business of football is hard but I’m a little bit sad that he decided this way,” the Dortmund Talent Coach added.

Alfred Duncan made just 9 appearances for Ghana since his debut in 2012 against Cape Verde.

His last appearance for the Black Stars was against South Africa in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.