Players must be ready to play in 2023 AFCON qualifiers if they want to play in 2022 World Cup - Yaw Preko

A former Ghana international, Yaw Preko has cautioned that players who want to play in the 2022 World Cup must be ready to sacrifice to play in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations [AFCON] qualifiers.

The draw for the 2023 AFCON was done in South Africa on Tuesday, April 19 with the Black Stars being placed in Group E alongside Madagascar, Angola, and the Central African Republic.

However, Preko opines that since there would not be enough time for countries to ready their teams for the tournament in Qatar, whoever is appointed to lead the Black Stars should view the qualifiers as part of the preparations for the tournament.

Speaking in an interview, the former Great Olympics and Medeama SC gaffer counseled that this period should be to identify talents for the team.

He added that foreign-based players who would want to join Ghana’s squad for the World Cup should be prepared to play the qualifiers.

“We’ve been linked with a lot of players. Those who want to go to the World Cup should be willing to play in the qualifiers. They should send them to the Central African Republic, Angola, and Madagascar," Preko told Accra-based Peace FM.

"They want to play at the World Cup but we also need the AFCON and we must qualify first. We can use the qualifiers as preparations for the World Cup.

“Let’s identify the talent we will send to the World Cup and use the qualifiers to prepare them for World Cup.

The Black Stars will also be in action in the World Cup in November where they have drawn with Portugal, Uruguay, and South Korea.