Unless a miracle happens, Ghana’s right full back John Paintsil is in the verge of missing both the African Nations Cup and peradventure the World Cup after he suffered a knee injury in Monday’s 2-1 defeat of his club, Fulham at Chelsea.
Paintsil, 28, is set for a Tuesday scan on the knee he twisted after performing admirably for Fulham against the Blues, and manager Roy Hodgson says the injury could keep him out for a long period of time.
“I’m more concerned he’ll miss the rest of the season because I always fear the worst when players twist their knees,” Hodgson said after the game at Stamford Bridge, conceding that the results of the scan will determine his future for the Ghanaian national squad.
The Black Stars are set to kickoff their Africa Cup of Nations campaign on 11 January against Togo, and they could without their starting right back if the results of the scan are poor. If he does miss the rest of the season, it will also put his World Cup chances in doubt.
“Whether John goes to the African Nations Cup depends on what his scan results are and how long he’ll be out the game for,” Hodgson added in the post-match press conference. “When he’s fit enough to travel for Ghana to look at him he’s welcome to go.”
Paintsil joined Fulham at the start of the 2008/09 season and has been a first-team fixture with over 50 appearances in that time.