Ghana's rocky road to Rio

My heart bleeds for Ghana football. Fact is, the road to Brazil 2014 is hazy for the Black stars despite that authoritative victory over Sudan. Any candid person will admit if stars had met any strong side the story would have been different. There is still some big technical issues to sort out. I have said before and, I will say it again that Kwasi Appiah is not the right man for the job.

GFA beyond doubt have taken a colossal risk in their appointment of Kwasi Appiah. He do not have plenty of time to hone his style and reading of the game as Brazil tournament looms. Every time he comes up against opponent who are proficient at closing his boys down he finds it hard to make an impact tactically. Watch 2013 African cup of nations.

Frankly speaking, I believe in local coaches but not this man. His tactical ineptitude is beyond comprehension. Now Ghana is doing the catch up game still trailing Zambia by a point and the last time stars beat them was way back 1992 in Senegal. They eliminated stars in 1988 Seoul Olympic games qualifier. From 1996 to 2012 Zambia have posted three major victories over Ghana. This is the threat confronting Black stars. Ghana can apply kamikaze tactics to go past them here which is very normal in African football, but at the mundial proper that is where the trouble lies. There will be assemblage of 32 top teams in the world. The question is can stars put up terrific showing under Appiah? The answer is simply no! Do you remember how Germany slaughtered Ghana 6-1 in 1993 within twenty minutes? Another blot on stars record is they are yet to beat any world cup winner. A feat chalked by Algeria,Zambia,Cameroon,Nigeria, Senegal and Ivory Coast.

Ghana football needs new direction. There should be more to it than mere qualifying for world cup party. Where do we want our game to go in the next ten years? There should be compulsory feeder teams for all premiership clubs just like it is done in the Bundesliga. Bayern Munich and Dortmund are benefiting greatly from their youth products. In England the FA has invested more £150 million pounds on youth development. GFA always take nebulous decisions only after tournaments. I was speaking to Rev. Osei Kofi recently and, he told me the current FA members do not want old footballers to advise Black stars players on the basis of not playing at the world cup. Ironically,the said FA member when given mundane task as a club leader, his interesting football credentials reads like this: pushing Olympics to the drop. "Truth is like a mirror it reflects what it sees that is why man hates" so says Shakespeare. These guys are not football people, they are just making money for themselves and are firmly on course. Truly, Ghana football is in wrong hands. The only priority of GFA is FIFA rankings. Something which influential writers like Brian Glanville,Tim Vickery and Keir Radnedge do not take it serious.

Now let us draw these analogy.Jorge Buruchagga won the world cup with Argentina in 1986- Messi is yet to do that. Choose between the two the better footballer? Michel Platini never won the world cup with France but Emmanuel Petit has done just that, again choose between them the better performer? Abedi Pele and Polo never went to the world cup! Asamoah Gyan and Kwadwo Asamoah have achieved that feat. Judge between the former and the latter who fit great status? Cristiano Ronaldo and Rivaldo are both recipients of FIFA best player award something which soccer ultimate footballers; Pele and Maradona never had.Which of these guys are regarded as incomparable legends? Changing times indeed, the old boys have iffy relationship with FA members. We need collective ideas from all front to move Ghana football forward. Sellas Tetteh has shown the way that local players are not bad after all. He nearly clinched the Holy Grail almost with local boys.Although his employers believe the home game is obsolete and irrelevant competition- hence automatic selection for so-called professional footballers into national teams. We should place emphasis on domestic players and see where our football will go.God save Ghana sports.

Reagan Michael Fianko

Truemikky@yahoo.com

PLEASE,FIND ATTACHED ARTICLE ENTITLED :GHANA'S ROCKY ROAD TO RIO