Former Great Olympics goalkeeper Korley Laryea has expressed his disagreement with the notion that the quality of the Ghana Premier League has decreased in recent years. Laryea, speaking at an event in James Town to honor retired players, believes that the main issue lies in the lack of opportunities for local players to showcase their skills on the national stage with the Black Stars.
Laryea, who previously played for Akosombo Akotex, is of the opinion that including more local talents in the national team would not only boost their confidence but also attract more fans to league matches. He emphasized the importance of having players from top local clubs like Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko represented in the national team.
According to Laryea, having players from these popular clubs in the Black Stars would bring more excitement to league matches, drawing larger crowds to the stadiums. He stated, “Names also add in football. When Hearts are playing Kotoko and have about two players in the national team, it will bring the crowd to come and watch the match.”
The experienced goalkeeper highlighted the positive impact that players from clubs like Kotoko and Bofoakwa can have on the local league, attracting supporters from all over the country to come and watch the matches. Laryea believes that the local players possess the necessary talent and skills to compete at the highest level.
Currently, with only eight games left in the 2023/24 Ghana Premier League season, Samartex 1996 holds the top spot on the league table with 49 points. As the season unfolds, it will be interesting to see if Laryea’s call for more inclusion of local players in the national team will be heeded and if it will help to rejuvenate interest in the league among fans.
