Grant drops 3 Musketeers ; Brings back Inkoom, Sowah

Many lingering hope by Sulley Muntari, Michael Essien and Kevin Prince-Boateng to return to the Black Stars ahead of the 2015 AFCON in Equatorial Guinea has been shattered following the release of a 31-man provisional squad last Friday by Coach Avram Grant.

The three defiant characters, famed for their rebellion in the Stars camp during the last World Cup in Brazil, were still under suspension when Grant announced at his maiden encounter with the media that he had opened his doors wide for all players.

A window of opportunity appeared to have been offered the three when the Israeli-born coach kick-started his tour of Europe with a meeting with Muntari and Essien.

According to a Black Stars source, Grant included Muntari in his provisional squad but was met with a strong resistance from the Ghana Football Association(GFA), who insisted that the player was still serving an indefinite suspension following his violent conduct in the Stars camp during the last World Cup.

It will not be prudent to invite Muntari at this stage. It will be an insult to the other players in the team and the country as a whole because he has still not shown remorse for his conduct at the World Cup”, the source contended.

Grant’s provisional list is said to include some new faces, including Samuel Inkoom, who now plays in the Major League Soccer with Houston Dynamo, of the USA, and goalkeeper Ernest Sowah of CS Don Bosco in Congo DR.

But the list is virtually a replica of the standing Stars team, including goalkeepers Stephen Adams and Fatau Dauda.

Others are Afful Harrison, Jonathan Mensah, John Boye,Agyemang Badu, Rabiu Mohammed and Jeffery Schlupp.

 It also includes Andre Ayew, Jordan Ayew, Asamoah Gyan, Wakasu Mubarak, among others.