The national football of Ghana (the Black Stars) have been subjected to public ridicule, due to their abysmal performance at various competitions.
At the 2022 AFCON Ghana exited at group stages, at the 2022 world cup in Qatar, the Black Stars exited at the group stages and at the ongoing AFCON in Coté D’Ivoire, the Black Stars were again subjected to public ridicule by exiting at the group stages.
Listening to Tuesday 4th July, 2023 edition of CitiCBS where Godfred Akoto Boafo and Nathan Quao answered questions from the venerable Bernard Avle on the failure of our contingents in the world of football at all levels, points to one thing, the failure of the FA.
Yes, it was established that player selection had some under dealings I however think this worsened under Kurt where players are allegedly not selected on merits but, with whom they know at the GFA and the interest of the FA president on his protégés selection, regardless of their performance, brought us thus far.
In time past, whenever the Black stars of Ghana was mentioned in football circles, some fear went down the spine of their opponents, for instance the Black stars of 2006, 2010 and I dare add 2014.
Same can’t be said about the current crop of the national team.
Listening to Godfred ruined my day and left this question on my mind even as I type…Is there hope for the once attractive sports in this country (Ghana)? A country once referred to as a footballing nation?.
At the 2022 world cup in Qatar, Ghana (Black stars) couldn’t make it pass the group stages, the CHAN tournament of which Ghana made it to two finals previously, is nowhere to be found these days. The exit of the Black Meteors which means Ghana has missed out on yet another Olympics games is the icing on the cake that, Ghana football has sank to its worse form in the history of the game.
The current FA keeps changing Coaches like diapers, they’re allegedly, engaged in the selection of players for tournament for coaches.
While the coaches and players are always on the lookout for their per deem and coefficient in the voice of Patrick Osei Agyemang aka. Country man Songo and not longer the pride of representing their country, to the detriment of the beautiful game (soccer).
They also, mostly go with the highest number of technical teams at most tournaments but the output of these national teams is nowhere compared to the number technical persons with the teams that go with them, an instance is the 2022 world cup in Qatar.
The local league has been relegated to the background and players in these teams are just to entertain theirs fans in Ghana but are of close to no effect beyond the shores of Ghana, just a few excel.
Colts teams are now history in Ghana, but lest we forget, the likes of Stephen Appiah, Michael Essien and the legendary Asamoah Gyan emerged from colts teams and together, they kept the nation Ghana on the map in the world of football, there are a lot more ‘Appiahs, Essiens and Gyans’ out there if only we’ll revisit the idea of colts football.
Government will also help, if it puts the necessary infrastructure in place and appoint people with the requisite knowledge about the ministry there.
Together we (Ghanaians) will take our place in the world of football.
The writer is Godwin Bakantiche G. Mbeidobi.
