Ghana Squad for Austria, Germany Friendlies: J.E Sarpong Delivers Worrying Verdict
- Veteran coach J.E. Sarpong has raised concerns about the quality of the Black Stars squad ahead of the team's international friendlies
- Four debutants were named in Otto Addo’s squad as the Black Stars step up their 2026 FIFA World Cup preparations
- While key players like Iñaki Williams and Thomas Partey have returned to the team, one key star misses
- Sarpong has backed Antoine Semenyo to deliver when Manchester City take on Real Madrid on Tuesday
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Renowned Ghanaian football coach J.E Sarpong has delivered a brutal verdict on the Black Stars squad ahead of the upcoming international friendlies against Austria on March 27 and Germany on March 30.
On Monday, March 16, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) announced Otto Addo's 26-man squad for the two test matches, which also serve as preparatory games ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Source: Twitter
According to the GFA, four players have earned their first-ever call-ups to the Black Stars squad: Derrick Luckassen, Patrick Pfeiffer, Marvin Senaya, and Daniel Agyei.
Luckassen, a centre-back for Pafos FC in Cyprus, came through the academy of AZ Alkmaar. The experienced defender has previously played for PSV Eindhoven, Hertha BSC, RSC Anderlecht, Kasımpaşa SK, Fatih Karagümrük, and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
He recently helped Pafos secure the 2024–25 Cypriot league title and also made history by scoring the club’s first-ever goal in the UEFA Champions League.
Meanwhile, Senaya currently plays for AJ Auxerre in Ligue 1. The defender previously had spells with RC Strasbourg, FC Sochaux-Montbéliard, and FC Lausanne-Sport, having made his professional debut in 2021.
Source: Getty Images
Agyei, who operates as both a forward and winger, currently plays for Turkish side Kocaelispor. Born in England, he previously featured for clubs including Leyton Orient, Crewe Alexandra, Oxford United, and Burnley FC before making the move to Turkey.
Pfeiffer, on the other hand, is a defender who plays for SV Darmstadt 98 in the 2. Bundesliga.
Key players return as Kudus misses out
Elsewhere, several key players have returned to the squad, including Iñaki Williams, Ibrahim Sulemana, Thomas Partey, and Alexander Djiku.
However, influential midfielder Mohammed Kudus has been left out after being sidelined with an injury since January 7, 2026.
Despite currently dealing with a serious court case in the United Kingdom, Partey was still included in the squad for the upcoming international assignments.
J.E Sarpong assesses Black Stars squad
Meanwhile, in an exclusive interview with YEN.com.gh’s Gariba Raubil, veteran Ghanaian football tactician J. E. Sarpong raised concerns about the overall quality of the current Ghana national football team.
Sarpong, who previously managed Ghanaian giants Accra Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko and is widely credited for playing a key role in the early development of Asamoah Gyan, believes the squad lacks enough top-level players competing regularly at the highest level.
According to the experienced coach, aside from Antoine Semenyo, who has been featuring consistently in the Premier League for Manchester City, the team does not currently have enough players performing at elite clubs, which he feels could become a concern as Ghana looks ahead to the World Cup.
“When you look at the squad critically, and you want to be honest, apart from Antoine Semenyo, who is playing regularly at a very high level, we don’t have many players competing consistently in the top leagues. That is something we must admit,” Sarpong said.
The former Aduana FC and Great Olympics trainer continued:
“If Ghana wants to be competitive at the World Cup, we need more players featuring regularly at the highest level because that experience makes a big difference. That would even make Otto Addo's job easier. When we performed well in 2010, we had a lot of quality: Sulley (Muntari), Andre Ayew, Asamoah Gyan, Kevin-Prince Boateng, and co. I don't think you can say the same thing about the current setup”
Sarpong urges Semenyo to shine vs. Madrid
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that J.E Sarpong has voiced his support for Antoine Semenyo, backing the Manchester City forward to shine against Real Madrid.
City take on the Spanish powerhouse in a do-or-die Champions League Round of 16 second leg at Etihad on Tuesday, March 17. Pep Guardiola's men head into the clash with a 3-0 deficit from the first encounter, as City Extra noted.
Source: YEN.com.gh
