Accra: Coach Christopher Nimley has waded into the growing debate surrounding Andre Ayew's potential inclusion in Ghana's World Cup squad, and he did not mince his words. Speaking on Sporty FM, Nimley made it clear that sentiment and history should not influence squad selection for football's biggest stage. "If I'm the coach of the Black Stars, I take only my best players there. Is he one of our best players, as we speak? Is he? He's not, so he goes nowhere," Nimley stated bluntly.
According to Ghana Web, Nimley acknowledged Ayew's service to the nation but insisted that loyalty alone cannot justify a place at the World Cup. "He's been a faithful servant. He's committed himself to the cause of this country," he admitted. However, with millions at stake and national pride on the line, Nimley warned against what he described as taking the tournament lightly.
"Let somebody come and tell me that you take some money to the World Cup if it's not among the best players you have. Then you're going to joke there. You're going to push $13.67 million and go and joke. We are not going to joke at the World Cup," he added. For Nimley, the issue is solely a football matter.
"That aside, can anybody sincerely tell me, for the very first good footballing reason, why he's there? As we speak now, no footballing reason supports him being at the World Cup. There's no footballing reason," he said.