Coach Zito
Coach of Ghana’s Under-19 national team, Abdul Karim Zito, has dismissed claims that Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Simeon-Okraku interferes in player selection for national teams.
In an interview, Coach Zito firmly denied speculation that Okraku influences squad decisions, citing his own experience as evidence.
“I can swear to you that sometimes Kurt doesn’t even know the players we pick. When I qualified for AFCON, he only asked how I saw my team and never dictated player choices,” he disclosed.
Coach Zito explained that Okraku merely encouraged him to scout widely, including considering foreign-based players to strengthen the squad.
“Because of his advice, I looked at three foreign players, though one couldn’t play due to COVID,” he revealed.
His remarks come amid ongoing rumours of external influence in team selection, aiming to reassure the public that national team coaches make independent, merit-based decisions.