Mohammed Salisu turned down Black Stars call up for Nigeria playoff games – GFA confirms

Vice president of the Ghana Football Association [GFA], Mark Addo has confirmed that Mohammed Salisu turned down a call up for the Black Stars 2022 World Cup playoff games against Nigeria.

The Southampton centre back was expected to earn a call up ahead of the games after failing to show up on countless occasions.

However, the promising centre back was not part of the 27-man squad released by Otto Addo for the games.

And according to Mark Addo, the player expressly told the Black Stars management that he was not ready to play for the country as he needs more time to decide on his fate.

He noted that though the player is tight-lipped over his decision to play for the Black Stars, Ghanaians must remain calm as management is bent on convincing him.

“I don’t want to get too much in the details but there has been engagements as to whether he is ready now or not, which apparently he is not,” he told Kumasi based Kessben FM.

“Moreover, the time will come if he is ready and the determination will be made.”

On the exclusion of some players in the Black Stars squad, Mark Addo who is also the chairman of the Black Stars Management Committee stated that some players had to be dropped due to injury.

“Players like Kamaldeen is injured, back injury. Baba is injured with his knee, Jordan has Covid, he was due for a new test. Semenyo was invited but he got injured on Saturday.”

The Black Stars have already opened camp in Kumasi gearing up for the game on Friday at the Baba Yara Stadium.

The return game will be played at the Abiola National Stadium on March 29.

Ghana are chasing their fourth World Cup appearance while the Super Eagles are racing for their 7th appearance.