Black Stars head coach, Otto Addo, has revealed that he heard a lot of stories about the Ghana Football Association (GFA) influencing player selection before he came in.

The former Borussia Dortmund talent coach disclosed that the only pressure he had from the GFA before naming his squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers is to add local players.

Asante Kotoko goalkeeper, Fredrick Asare, is the only Ghana Premier League player in Otto Addo’s 26-man squad for the June games against Mali and the Central African Republic.

“Me, I have a free mind. I'm totally free. The way the FA [gave him freedom to work], because I heard a lot of stories before I came, let me do my thing,” Otto Addo said after naming his squad on Wednesday.

“To be honest, I don't know if I can say it, the only pressure they gave me was to bring local players. The only pressure.”

Ghana will face Mali in the third round of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup on Thursday in Bamako before taking on the Central African Republic four days later in Kumasi.

Ghana currently sits fourth in Group I with three points, three behind leaders Comoros.

Sompaonline.com/Nana Yaw Boamah