Ghana coach Chris Hughton has come to the defence of Daniel Amartey, amid reports that the defender is unhappy with his bench role at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Hughton insisted that Amartey is a good professional and a good player and that it’s normal for any player to be disappointed when they’re not playing.
Amartey has yet to feature for Ghana in the tournament, sitting on the bench in the games against Cape Verde and Egypt. The player’s social media activity, deleting all Ghana-related photos from his Instagram page, has also raised eyebrows, with speculation that he may be unhappy with his current role.
However, Hughton played down the significance of Amartey’s Instagram posts, saying he wouldn’t be surprised if any player wasn’t happy with not playing.
“Most things I don’t see but we have a head of media that informs us. In reference to the particular player and all players, I will be surprised if any player will be happy for not playing. This is for me a normal reaction from any player,” Hughton said at Sunday’s press conference.
Hughton remains confident in his abilities and those of his team. “Daniel is someone I’ve spoken to regarding not playing,” Hughton said. “He’s a good professional and a good player.”
Hughton’s focus now turns to the crucial match against Mozambique on Monday, where a win is essential for Ghana’s hopes of progressing to the knockout stage of the tournament. With two points from their first two games, Ghana need a victory to stay in contention.
The 29-year-old, who made his Ghana debut in 2015 and has over 50 caps, will hope to be included in the line-up for the game against Mozambique at the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpé.
