Ghana must forget AFCON 2015!

Insanity, they say is “doing one thing over and over again and expecting results”. And this old adage squarely fits the story of Ghana football. Time and again, we have lamented our failure to achieve one silverware or the other at one football mundial or the other, only to forget and vainly hope for the better in future events. We wait in vain because we do without demonstrating commitment at doing things right ahead of future tournaments.

Thankfully our dismal and massive humiliation at the World Cup in Brazil presents the nation the rear but golden opportunity to do a national football introspection going forward. If we desire results in future events, we must as a nation, pull the bull by the horns. We must call for a revolution, clean the system by letting the powers that be in our football be responsible and accountable to the nation.


This we must do without witch-hunting but also without fear or favour. This we can only ensure by letting justice role done like water, and Ghana football will be all for the better.


After our dismal and apologetic showing in Brazil, one expected that our leaders will advance some level of responsibility epitomized in some sense of remorse, to the extent that, they are ready to reason with Ghanaians in bringing about the needed change for Ghana football. But what do we see, sheers signs of lack of remorse, disrespect, arrogance, power drunk, goofed PR gimmicks etc. The posturing of GFA officials at the GFA Press Conference was so disrespectful not only to the media present, but to Ghanaians in general.


Am wondering why the GFA President, Mr. Kwesi Nyantakyi on arrival in Ghana did not lead his Management Committee, the technical team and playing body to seek audience with the President, H.E John Dramani Mahama to express apologies to Ghanaians through him. That should have been the biggest PR strategy even before that hurriedly organized Press Conference.


As a sign of acceptance of failure by the GFA, the President should have immediately announced the dissolution of the Black Stars management Committee and stepping down as its Chairman.

Who in this country does not know that we use the common tax payer’s money to chalk success for the Black Stars only for Nyantakyi to carry the glory and then turn around to show disrespect to the nation by his comments and attitude. It’s under Nyantayi’s supervision that the nation paid USD$ 1000 after three disappointing showing at the World Cup to 23 players and only heaven knows how many other “deserved” members of the team. Ghana was billed to pay USD$15, 000 as winning bonuses each to each player if we had won any game. Now the tricky question is whether or not Ghana should participate in the AFCON 2015? My answer is emphatic No!


I think going forward; the nation should rather concentrate on raising winnable teams for the Olympic Games in 2016 instead of wasting time and resources on AFCON 2015.


This is my case; We can’t qualify for AFCON 2015 if we stop, ‘WAYS AND MEANS”. This bitter pile of a hidden truth, Nyantakyi and his managers know that well. The GFA held a Press conference not to manage the crisis of our dismal showing in attempt to re-unite all aggrieved stakeholders but to further worsen the plight of football by accusing some players of one ill or the other. The goofed PR press conference put the blames at the doorsteps of Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari and Kevin Prince Boateng when it was clear these senior players were fighting for the entire team.


It must be noted that the Black Stars “anti-corruption” team of Essien, Dede, Jordan, Kwarasey, Kevin, Kojo Asamoah and Sulley are “true western style” guys who will not pay a dime from their booty of allowances to any official to stay in the team. The simple verity that this “anti-corruption” squard exists within the Black Stars in itself is a serious problem for the unity of the team going forward into qualifiers ahead of AFCON 2015. Has the nation not heard and read stories of some other players declaring open support for the so-called “anti-corruption” squard in the team? Sulley, they say was fighting for the collective interest of the team. So clearly, the Black Stars as it stands now is more divided and dispirited for any major competition. The Kwesi Nyantakyi led management, at their press conference heaped the setbacks from the World Cup campaign at the door-step of the players, tagging them as in disciplined. Question is, when and how are the players going to have the same platform to tell their story?


Folks, i ask again, who pays the Coach of the Black Stars?

Is it not government? If its government why the rush by the GFA to renew the mandate of the coach and increase his earnings without recourse to governments? What motivated that hasty decision by the GFA? I smell a rat!


I guess the opportunity coast of attempting a qualification AFCON 2015 should be concentrating on the local game. The local Premiership, Divisions 1, 2,3 and colts football as well as women football. These are areas the FA has neglected since Nyantakyi took office nearly 10 years ago. Also, clubs participating in Africa should be funded by the Ministry of Youth and Sports to uplift the image of Ghana Football through that level instead of splashing cash on the Black Stars in attempt to qualify for AFCON 2015 which we won’t qualify anyway.


I must commend government for turning the 3-Man Committee to investigate the Brazil fiasco into a PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION ON INQURY. That was my prayer. Now this Commission per the 1992 constitution has the powers of a High court and its recommendations after the one month long investigations and finding will be tantamount to judgment.


Ghana awaits the recommendations by the Commission, until that, all matters relating to the Black Stars MUST rest.


The immediate past Minister for Youth and Sports, Hon. Elvis Afriyie Ankrah in an exclusive interview on Metro TV, indicated that by one action or the other, one comment of the other, the Black Stars players insulted the President, H.E John Dramani Mahama. Quit unfortunate. But I ask,

1. Was Elvis right in making that public, what was his intention for making that public since that can’t be proven anyway?


2. Has Kwesi Nyantakyi shown remorse and been apologetic enough to show that he is ready to fix the broken pieces from the nations disappointments at the World Cup and therefore ready to continue as the Management Committee Chairman?


3. Was Kwesi Appiah right in his decisions in sacking Kevin and Sulley and was he his own man as a coach?


4. Is the nation now convinced beyond every shred of a doubt, that the Black Stars team is engulfed with indiscipline? If so who is to blame? Apart from government flying close to whether USD 3million, USD 4 million or USD 6 Million to Brazil, we can’t continue to splash the tax payer’s money on the Blacks Stars in exchange for nothing but humiliation and disdain.


Whatever millions we spent on the Black Stars in Brazil alone can turn the fortunes of the local game around for the better.

I rest my case for now!


By: Listowell Yesu Bukarson Thinking Unconventionally. Folks, Sports is Huge!