Former Ghana international Laryea Kingston has shared concerns about how players leave the national team, saying André Dede Ayew should have been included in Ghana’s squad for the 2026 World Cup.
Speaking to Joy Sports, Kingston said Ghana needs to show more respect and understanding when senior players are nearing the end of their time with the national team.
He praised countries like Mexico for how they manage the transition of experienced players, pointing to veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa as an example.
Kingston said allowing respected players to remain involved gives them the chance to end their international careers on their own terms.
“Trust me, after this competition, he (Ochoa) would say, ‘okay, now it’s done.’ Unlike some parts of the world, where they will just kick you out when it’s not your time to leave,” Kingston observed.
“For me, I don’t think it’s right the way we handle certain things. I can guarantee you that a lot of former players leave the national team with grief. Most of them were not happy,” he stated.
“So, I think this is something that we need to look at. We’ve been getting close to the cup, especially the AFCON, and then something will come up and we won’t achieve that.
“These are some of the small things that we need to fix rather than just focusing on the performance on the pitch.”
