Ghana coach, Claude Le Roy says he will attempt to talk goalkeeper, Sammy Adjei out of his planned retirement from the Black Stars.
The player announced his retirement from international football last week after communicating his decision to the Ghana Football Association. But the Black Stars coach has told the official newspaper of the FA, GFA News, that even though he will convince the Israeli-based goalkeeper to drop his intended plan, he is disappointed with Adjei’s decision.
“I am not shocked by the news because I have been in football too long to be shocked by these things but I am disappointed,” Le Roy told the GFA News.
Sammy Adjei, second choice in the national team to Richard Kingson, on Friday explained that he is retiring from international football in order to concentrate on his club career and also afford younger Ghanaian goalkeepers the opportunity to come through the national team.
However, Le Roy believes it’s not the best decision to come from the Ghana reserve goalkeeper but maintains that it must be respected.
“Sammy Adjei is a very good goalkeeper and I understand his frustrations as the number two goalkeeper of the Black Stars but I don’t think it’s the best decision he has taken even though one has to respect it.
“There are many top goalkeepers in the world who are second-choice in their national teams and I have always pointed this out him.
“I always tell him about Coupet who for many years was second choice to Barthez but is now the number choice.
‘But I will talk to him again when I come back (to Accra) and try and convince him to change his mind,” says Le Roy.
Ghana would move on - Le Roy
Adjei’s retirement is believed to have been borne out of growing increasingly frustrated over the limited starts he has made for Ghana after losing the number spot to Kingson in the run up to the World Cup in 2006. And that does not convince Le Roy.
“He shouldn’t be a victim of frustration and bad advice, and pressure from his club. He should be careful not to make a decision he will regret in future,” Le Roy says.
The Black Stars coach described Adjei as a true professional but says the team would move on if the goalkeeper rescinds his decision.
“He has generally behaved well and his conduct during the recent Cup of Nations was perfect and I hope he is not being influenced.”
“There are a lot of goalkeepers in the country who will be proud to wear the national jersey.
“The national team is more important than any individual and we will surely move on,” the Black Stars coach added.
Source: Ghanafa.org: Michael Boateng/Nana Obiri Yeboah
