When Antoine Semenyo is expected back at Bristol City after Ghana World Cup call-up

Nigel Pearson expects Antoine Semenyo to return to Bristol City immediately after Ghana’s involvement in the World Cup is over. The 22-year-old has been called up to represent the Black Stars in Qatar over the next month.

Semenyo has linked up with his international teammates in what will be a surreal experience for the Robins forward. The former SGS College student made the decision to represent the African side earlier this year and has three caps under his belt.

Ghana will play Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay over a ten-day period, starting from Thursday, November 24 and concluding on Thursday, December 2.

A mid-season World Cup has thrown up plenty of problems with the league schedule crammed into a shorter time frame. The Championship is almost at the half-way point when it would usually be achieved at the festive period.

Semenyo is to be away from today until at least Friday, December 2, when Ghana play their final group stage match against Uruguay. A week later, City’s league campaign is due to resume against Rotherham United on December 10.

Should Ghana be knocked out in the group stages, it is expected that Semenyo would return to the HPC and jump straight in to league action.

“I would expect him to come back in because we will need him,” stated Semenyo. “International players, that is a part of what they are. If you’re an international player you can forget your long summer breaks because that is when most of the tournaments are.”

Representing your country on the International stage is one of the ultimate honours that a player can receive. Semenyo is in the early stages of his Ghana career and this could be the first of many major tournaments he could be involved in.

There is an effect on international football however in that in what is already a busy period for players is made busier by representing your country. For players not afforded the opportunity to play internationally, it is a period of recovery.

One player that has suffered from a lack of break is club record signing Tomas Kalas. Kalas represented the Czech Republic at the Euros and played regularly for City. The 29-year-old is now out with injury, having only recovered from an injury that sidelined him for seven months.

He said: “We talked last year about Tomas Kalas having three or five years of continual football. It can have a considerable effect on long-term fitness. The problem Tomas has been dealing with this year is a problem that has developed over time.”