In response to the Chairman's recent apology for the Black stars massive defeat in Riyadh, we feel the need to respond to some of the points made and raise additional issues. The apology, although a step in the right direction, is only a first step and does not go far enough to put us at ease regarding our preparations to defend the Nations Cup on home soil. Mr. Nyantakyi's purpose appears to have been two-fold: apologize for the disappointment caused and to try and make the case for the fans to remain hopeful. His main points were as follows:
? Fans should remain hopeful, the defeat notwithstanding
? The Black Stars team needs our complete support for future success
? The loss was due to the player's fatigue and nothing else
? There is no need to review the debacle because it is over and done with (in his words, "we should cease crying over spilt milk and forge ahead in our hanker to host and win the 26th edition of Africa's biggest soccer fiesta"
In response to these main points, we have a couple of more questions that need to be addressed. They are as follows:
? What evidence should the fans be looking for in order to validate your statement that "the GFA is putting a formidable structure in place to make sure the Arabia night debacle does not happen again"? Should we be expecting the Black Stars to run the tables from the next friendly through the ANC tournament as evidence that these measures are working?
? What should we expect if the Black Stars don't improve leading up to the ANC?
? Can you share, at a very high level, what some of these formidable structures are or should we wait till January to find out?
? If it is the players who let us down then can you explain why there is a need to put a formidable structure in place? If the structure(s) did not cause the defeat then are we sure we are solving the right problem by rebuilding it?
? Can you briefly explain the circumstances behind Asamoah Gyan's visa refusal?
? Why has Coach Leroy not commented on the debacle?
? How do you assess Coach Leroy's performance so far?
? What are Coach Leroy's benchmarks? His record so far has been 4 wins, 2 losses, and 3 draws.
? How do you compare our momentum leading up to the World Cup last year versus the one leading up on the ANC next year? What are the similarities you see that gives you hope? What are the differences you see that cause you concern?
? What is your view of the FIFA ranking system? What is your view of Ghana's recent slide from the Top Twenty to the Mid-Forties?
? You mentioned that you were going to be giving frequent updates on the state of Ghana Football affairs but appear to have stopped sometime back in April. Do you intend to start again? Frequent dialogue will help alleviate our jitters and eliminate rumor mongering.
? Can you explain why the match was moved a day earlier as opposed to a day late?
? Some fans have raised issue with the quality of Black Stars' jersey. Any update on whether our kit sponsor, Puma, will be upgrading the jerseys just like they have done for some of the other teams they sponsor?
? Can you explain the impact of the Local league delay on the local talents?
? How do you compare our record at this time last year versus this year?
? Any plans to invest in the Women's' league given their recent unfavorable showing the Women's World Cup? Thanks in advance in anticipation of your quick response.
Copyright © 1994 - 2024 GhanaWeb. All rights reserved.
