You are not fit to play for the Black Stars if you cannot qualify for CHAN – GoldStars defender Vincent Atinga takes swipe at local players
Bibiani GoldStars defender, Vincent Atinga beleives local players are not fit to play for the Black Stars after failing to qualify for the 2024 Championship for Africa Nations (CHAN) in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in August.
The home-based senior national team failed to book a ticket for the next competition later this year after losing against the Super Eagles B of Nigeria.
The first leg fixture produced no goals at the Accra Sports Stadium with the Black Galaxies falling by 3-1 to the home-based Super Eagles in Uyo in the reverse encounter.
“If we [the local players] cannot qualify for the CHAN, it simply means automatically we are not qualified for the [main] Black Stars,” Atinga, who was a key member of Ghana's Black Stars B squad that won the 2018 WAFU Championship as they defeated neighbouring rivals Nigeria 4-1 in the finals told Akoma FM.
Atinga, 31, started his junior career at Ghana’s UniStar Soccer Academy before signing for Cape Coast-based Dwarfs.
He was snapped up by 2000 CAF Champions League winners, Hearts of Oak in the 2014/15 season, spending three seasons before joining Albania outfit, KF Tirana in 2018.
He has previously played for Kuwaiti clubs, Al Qadsia and Al Shabab before returning to join Ghana Premier League club, Medeama SC.