FIFA High-Performance Specialist Faisal Chibsah believes Black Stars head coach Otto Addo will face a tough selection challenge following the team’s recent performance at the Unity Cup in London.
The tournament saw Addo leave out several key players, instead handing debut call-ups to five newcomers.
After a narrow semifinal defeat to Nigeria, the Black Stars bounced back in style with a commanding 4-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago to claim third place.
“It was exciting to see many new faces in the national team. I don’t think the calendar and the FIFA window allow coaches to give opportunities to players they haven’t assessed properly,” Chibsah told Joy Sports.
“This was the right time to test new players. It’s a period where you can give your main players a break and offer chances to fresh talent. I was excited to see that.”
He emphasized the importance of squad rotation, noting that resting regular starters allowed emerging talents to showcase their abilities on the international stage.
“Clearly, some players made strong cases for themselves, so it’s a selection headache for the coach ahead of the September games,” he added.
Chibsah described the decision to field new players as a positive experiment and expressed hope that some of the debutants would earn future call-ups.
“The big positive for me was the opportunity given to the new faces. It was a chance for the coach to try something new, and it paid off. I’m looking forward to seeing some of these players again in September.”
The Black Stars will reconvene later this year for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, with matches against Chad and Mali on Matchdays 7 and 8.