Former Ghanaian midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu has identified the midfield and defense as the primary areas requiring urgent improvement if the Black Stars are to make a significant impact at the World Cup.
Reflecting on the team’s recent friendly matches, the retired footballer emphasized the need to elevate the squad’s overall quality and cohesion with only a week remaining before their opening fixture.
Despite the tight schedule, he expressed optimism about the team’s readiness and urged the players to embrace the honor and responsibility of representing their nation on the global stage.
Analyzing the team’s tactical shortcomings, Agyemang-Badu pointed out specific vulnerabilities observed during their recent exhibition matches.
He noted that against Wales, the team struggled significantly to push forward during the first half, though they showed slight improvement after the interval.
He stressed that the squad’s pressing game remains a weak point, reiterating, “We still have a lot to do with our midfield. I had hoped we had more friendlies before the World Cup. Our hard pressing is not all that good. We have a lot more work to do to improve as we prepare for our games.”
When questioned about the tactical readiness of the squad under the current technical leadership, Agyemang-Badu acknowledged the unique challenges facing the manager.
Due to the timing of the coach’s appointment, injecting a complete football philosophy into the team on short notice is a difficult task.
Instead, the former international believes the coach’s ultimate success will rely on his managerial skills and his ability to effectively control a high-profile team like Ghana.
Praising the progress made so far, Agyemang-Badu commended the manager for restoring discipline to the camp, boosting player confidence, and establishing a firm authority over the squad.
He concluded by advising the head coach to maintain unwavering confidence in his selected players to extract their absolute best performances on the pitch.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
