Jordan Ayew will miss the Africa Youth Championships in Johannesburg later this month after Olympique Marseille refused to release him. The reigning French champions have told the striker, who was hoping to captain the side, that he will have to stay behind in France and play his part in their bid for their successful title defense. It means Orlando Wellington has to mastermind Ghana's title defense without a player who would have been the biggest name in the side but it is unlikely to unduly affect them after the player played only once in the qualifying campaign. Ayew's brother Andre captained Ghana to glory in Rwanda two years ago and Jordan was desperate to follow in his footsteps. But with Marseille short on strikers following the departure of Brandao to France, that will not now happen. Source: Michael Oti Adjei/Kickoff.com