Manchester United’s starlet Danny Welbeck netted a spectacular goal this weekend against Stoke! Now the Ghana Football Association are hoping to persuade Welbeck to represent the birth place of his parents.
Although Welbeck was born in England and has already represented the English national team at the youth level. According to FIFA, players who represent one country at a junior level are allowed to switch to another country provided they are still under the age of 21.
“The GFA president (Kwesi Nyantakyi) has been in constant talks with his family and the response is quite encouraging,” spokesman Randy Abbey told GNA Sports.
“There is still much to be cleared with respect to the player’s career development and gaining a regular place in the Manchester United first team.
“But we are very sure that when the time is due for the player to make a national team choice, it will be the Black Stars.”
If England want to keep Welbeck do as the Americans did!
Prior to the 2006 World Cup, Freddy Adu also received calls from the Ghana Football Association. The GFA tried to persuade Adu, who was born in Ghana, to represent Ghana in the 2006 World Cup.
Not to be out hustled, then U.S. national team coach Bruce Arena called up Adu for a friendly match against Canada. Adu was allowed to run around for 9 minutes, after coming on for Eddie Johnson in the 81st minute.
Freddy would have to wait over 2 years to represent the U.S. again, in May 2008 Adu came on as a sub in a friendly against England. It was a strategic, and maybe unethical, move by the US, but they have guaranteed themselves a promising young striker for years to come.
