Revamping Ghana’s Black Stars; which way to go?

The recent performances of the senior national team, the Black Stars, has plummeted to depressive levels, with the majority of Ghanaians gradually losing interest in football. The assumption that Ghana is a superpower in African football is a thing of the past, if not non-existent, given the Black Stars recent heartbreaking performances. Ghana's football problems can be linked to a variety of issues, including poor managerial abilities, technical/tactical deficiencies, and player discord, among others. The Journey of the Fall The downward surge of the Black Stars performances started after the 2017 AFCON in Gabon, where they finished fourth after being defeated by Burkina Faso in the third-place play-off match. It was followed by Anas Aremeyaw Anas 'Number 12' documentary in 2018, which unravelled numerous corrupt activities in Ghana football leading to the resignation of the President of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi. The documentary, which was supposed to clean up Ghana's football sy stem, exacerbated the situation, with numerous national teams experiencing a decline in performance. Despite continued effort to reform the GFA, the Black Stars entered the 2019 AFCON in Egypt as one of the favourites, but their Round of 16 exit stunned football enthusiasts. Things grew worse at the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon, as the Black Stars were eliminated in the group stages after losing to Morocco and Comoros while drawing with Gabon, finishing last in the group with just a point. At the 2023 AFCON in Cote D' Ivoire, the Black Stars' poor performance resulted in another group stage exit. With the Black Stars now battling to qualify for the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, the above trajectory indicates how Ghana football has reached a low point and the necessity for urgent remedies. GFA's managerial flip flops The Ghana Football Association (GFA) can't be exonerated in the ordeals of the Black Stars. The major incident that exposed the GFA's inconsistent managerial dealing was the reappointment of Otto Addo a s head coach. Following Chris Hughton's dismissal after a disastrous performance at the AFCON 2023 in Cote D Ivoire, the GFA established criteria for selecting a new coach. The GFA's criterion indicated that they sought a coach with a proven track record and 15 years of coaching experience, which coach Otto Addo clearly did not fulfil. Otto Addo's re-appointment was met with enormous condemnation from the majority of football experts and supporters, especially after his terrible performance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It would be recalled that Convenors of Save Ghana Football Demonstrators expressed their dissatisfaction with Otto Addo's appointment as head coach, describing it as 'problematic and insensitive'. They based their claim on Otto Addo's public statements that he did not want the Black Stars job, particularly following the Qatar World Cup. Disunity in camp Disunity in Black Stars is not a fabrication of the imagination but has persisted over time. A recent video circulating online depicting a near-confrontation between winger, Jordan Ayew and goalkeeper, Lawrence Ati-Zigi reinforces the notion that everything is not well in the Black Stars camp. The issues of captaincy have also disrupted the focus of the team, with coaches and administrators not being able to resolve issues properly. Way Forward Conveners of the Save Ghana Football demonstration petitioned Parliament in February to look into Ghana football's recent troubles, particularly those involving the Black Stars. The Parliamentary Select Committee on Youth and Sports recently met with a number of stakeholders who offered methods to change the Black Stars' fading fortunes. Former Black Stars captain, Stephen Appiah, addressed concerns to the Committee about the current crop of players' commitment and how the country has battled to qualify for AFCON, in recent times. 'There's been a consistent decline in our performance. When you look at the past, we were competing at the highest levels in Africa and globally, but now we are struggli ng even to qualify for major tournaments. 'This stagnation is troubling and indicates that we are not doing enough to develop our talent and improve as a team,' he told the committee. The former Black Stars skipper stressed on the need to have a clear plan for the Black Stars for the next decade, especially investing in youth and establishing youth academies and training facilities. Ghana football legend Abdul Karim Razak, in an interview with GNA Sports at the GFA's 30th Congress in September, emphasised the need to involve local players in the rebuilding process. He argued that the short camping time of foreign players does not aid team bonding and that local players should be used in forming the base of the national team. Well, with the Black Stars set to get back in action in November, 2024 Ghanaians would certainly be watching those at the helm of affairs and whether they would make changes. Source: Ghana News Agency