The glint on Ghana?s footballing crown has lost its shine and with the Africa Cup of Nations coming to end tomorrow, Ghanaians are worried about the current state of the national team the Black Stars.
The sneering engagement of Mariano Barreto as the Black Stars coach without the customary press conference associated with such appointments has come under the microscope of sport commentators.
Following the revelation by the media of the embellishment of Barreto?s CV which revealed that the Portuguese worked chiefly a fitness coach, the Minister of State for Youth, Education and Sports, Rashid Bawa telling JoyFM ??We stand by the FA?s decision, looking at the background of this particular coach to deliver.?
But Ghanaian sports journalists abroad have said the days of unquestioning obedience of sport politicians and administrator are over.
Speaking to GHANAWEB in a telephone interview Lawrence Opare Otoo who is currently in Ghana fumed: ?how can they go on to appoint a coach who has embellished his CV?
He said ?Bawa is playing a blinder. Will President Kuffuor appoint him if he embellished his CV??
Sydney Musamvu a journalist with the banned Zimbabwean newspaper DAILY NEWS said: ?with the revelation real credentials of the coach, the appointment of Barreto can be seen by many as endorsement of corruption by the Ghana football Association and the Ministry of Youth, Education and Sport.?
He added: ?I am negatively surprised that a giant footballing nation like Ghana is satisfied with a fitness coach as its national team coach.?
The Ghana Football Association surreptitiously organised a meeting with some five media practitioners at the Dynasty Chinese Restaurant clearly, to elicit their support before this controversial appointment, Barreto did not deny revelations made by GHANAWEB on inaccuracies presented in his curriculum vitae.
Kurt Okraku the former sports editor of Radio Gold said: ?I am surprised that Joe Aggrey is not correcting all these wrongs committed by the Ministry and the GFA.? referring to the appointment of Barreto.
He added: ?I wonder what he would have written if E.T.Mensah was the Sports Minister? referring to Joe Aggrey?s investigative journalism on the former minister.
He lamented the sagging fortunes of Ghana football and warned that: ? if things are allowed to continue this way I am afraid things will be difficult for Ghana football.?
Since January 2001, Ghana has plummeted 22 rungs in FIFA?s monthly football ranking. Ghana occupied the 57th position by the end of 2000 but now occupies the 79th position.
