Prince Tagoe blames leadership gap for Black Stars' AFCON woes

Former Ghana international Prince Tagoe has voiced concerns over the leadership challenges plaguing the Black Stars, identifying it as a significant factor behind their recent struggles.

In recent years, the Black Stars have underperformed, enduring group-stage eliminations in both the 2021 and 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

However, their failure to qualify for the 2025 edition marks a new low, with Tagoe attributing this decline to the absence of a competent leader.

Since Andre Ayew’s last appearance, the Black Stars have secured only two wins in seven games, reflecting a troubling downward trend.

Tagoe believes Ayew’s absence, particularly his on-field leadership and experience, has left a void that remains unfilled.

“Right now, there is no leadership in the team. Since Andre Ayew got dropped, I’ve not seen any leadership,” Tagoe remarked.

Although several players have captained the side in Ayew’s absence, Tagoe stated that the last instance of effective leadership he witnessed was in 2022, when Thomas Partey led Ghana to secure qualification for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

“The leadership and fighting spirit I saw was when Partey was captain, and we were playing Nigeria. Partey showed that when the team was in difficulty, he could step up and help, and he did that fantastically,” Tagoe added.

Without the presence of Andre Ayew and Thomas Partey, Ghana endured a humiliating Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

With no victories in their five qualifiers, the Black Stars will miss the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

FKA/OGB