Fulham’s Ghanaian fan club isn’t thought to have recruited too many new members in recent months.

The Ghanaian FA wanted defender John Paintsil to join their squad on December 27^th but Fulham manager Roy Hodgson, a man with considerable national management experience, showed a surprising lack of sympathy and diplomacy.

Hodgson said: “It’s a bit disrespectful of African nations to write to the English clubs asking their players to be released on the 27^th (December) when they know we all have matches on the 28^th. He will play for us unless FIFA insist he goes (and) I don’t expect for one minute for Ghana to insist (he goes).

The GFA branded Hodgson “unprofessional” and noted, correctly: “Mr Hodgson does not determine what the law is.”

Nonetheless, Paintsil played for Fulham at Chelsea on the 28^th…and got injured, which means he now misses the whole tournament. Fulham are not thought to be including Ghana on any pre-season tour itinerary anytime soon.

Ghana have had their share of injury worries, with captain Steven Appiah also out, having missed Ghana’s own tournament in 2008, along with Sunderland defender John Mensah, who will be replaced by under-20 international…Jonathan Mensah.

Ghana’s under-20s will now constitute a third of their ACN squad. But they are the under-20 world champions, so that isn’t such a problem.

The Black Stars’ ill-disciplinarian is Inter’s Sulley Muntari, the former Portsmouth midfielder going missing before a friendly match in October. Chelsea’s Michael Essien did likewise but subsequently apologised to Ghana’s Serb coach Milovan Rajevac and is in the squad. For Muntari, though, sorry seems to be the hardest word.

All problems aside, however, Ghana’s group stage African Nations Cup meeting with Cote D’Ivoire will be one to watch, and could well be repeated at the business end of the tournament.