President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, has strongly rejected allegations that he plays any role in influencing the selection of players for the Black Stars.
The experienced football administrator addressed the issue during an interview on The Delay Show, where he responded to long-standing claims suggesting interference in national team call-ups. Okraku described the accusations as baseless and insisted they do not reflect how the selection process operates.
He stressed that he is not involved in deciding which players are chosen for the Ghana senior national team and suggested that he often becomes aware of squad announcements at the same time as the general public.
According to him, the idea that he has prior knowledge or input in selections is incorrect, as information about the squad typically reaches him only when it becomes public.
“What most people don’t know is that when you see the Black Stars selection, that’s when I also see it. Most of the time, I’m seated at the Accra Sports Stadium and the Black Stars are about to play, then there is breaking news on social media that the Black Stars have done selections. That’s when I also get to read it. I’m not even concerned,” Okraku stated.
His comments were made in response to public speculation and recurring debates about how Ghana’s national team is managed and how players are chosen for international duty. Over time, questions around selection independence have been a topic of discussion among supporters and observers of Ghana football.
Okraku’s remarks aimed to clarify his position and distance himself from suggestions that he has influence over coaching decisions. He emphasised that squad selection announcements often come as breaking news, even to him, reinforcing his claim that the process is handled separately from his role as GFA president.
The GFA president also pointed out that he is frequently present at matches involving the Black Stars, sometimes at the Accra Sports Stadium, when squad-related news emerges online. He used this to illustrate that his involvement is limited to administrative oversight rather than technical decision-making.
His statement adds to ongoing conversations about transparency and structure within Ghana football administration, particularly regarding the distinction between governance roles and technical responsibilities within the national team setup.
While debates over selection procedures have persisted in the public space, Okraku’s comments were intended to reinforce that he does not interfere in team decisions. Instead, he suggested that he receives the same information as fans and stakeholders when squad announcements are made.
The clarification comes at a time when scrutiny of football administration in Ghana remains high, with supporters continuing to express strong interest in how the Black Stars are managed ahead of major international competitions.
Okraku’s message was clear: the responsibility for selecting players for the national team does not lie with him, and he becomes aware of squad decisions only when they are officially or publicly announced.
