What Ghana needs to do to impress in Equatorial Guinea

A couple of things occurred last week which will have a large bearing on how the Black Stars will fare at the upcoming 2015 African Nations Cup tournament in Equatorial Guinea.

For starters, Avram Grant was unveiled as the Ghana head coach and the day before the unveiling, Ghana was drawn in to the same Group with Algeria, South Africa and Senegal.

The Ghana Football Association has already said that Grant would not be in danger of losing his job if the Black Stars fail to win the trophy.

Grant has been publicly told to ‘do well in Equatorial Guinea and win the 2017 African Nations Cup.’

This piece would attempt to decipher what can be done to see the Black Stars doing well.

Now doing well has its own high demands because Ghana has always reached the last four since 2008 and indeed got to the final in 2010.

What it means is that, despite the limitations in time as per preparing the team, Grant would at least need to guide Ghana to the last four and win third place, or get the team into the final.

This is where a critical look would have to be taken at the team.

Issues remain unresolved with regard to Adam Kwarasey , whom in my opinion should be Ghana’s first choice goalkeeper.

Kwarasey is refusing to make himself available for selection until goalkeeper’s trainer Nassamu Yakubu is replaced and already, there is a battle royale going on between former national goalkeepers Abubakari Damba and Richard Kingson for that position.

Why the GFA has delayed on this issue is beyond me.

Ghana needs an established first choice goalkeeper and in my view, neither Razak Braimah, Stephen Adams nor Fatau Dauda cut the mustard at the moment.

For Ghana to do well, something has to be done about the situation and the time to act is now.

Ghana has not had a competitive clean sheet since a 2014 World Cup qualifying win over Lesotho in Maseru last year. That is a time span of 17 months and there are two reasons.

The Ghana defence lacks leadership and organization and perhaps this is where Avram Grant would have to start earning his money with regard to the right central defensive partnership.

I still believe that John Boye has to be taken out of the firing line because his displays for the Black Stars over the last 12 months have been anything but impressive.

If, as Black Stars management Committee chairman George Afriyie put it, the team is in transition, then perhaps it is time for Grant to gamble.

Kwabena Adusei is an option as a partner to Jonathan Mensah, who definitely needs to step up his game in terms of taking charge at the back, and other younger options like Abeiku Ainooson, Daniel Amartey, Joseph Attamah and perhaps Rashid Sumaila would need to be looked at, as Grant finalizes his squad.

Fortunately, the full back slots seem well covered. Harrison Afful and Yaw Frimpong look good options on the right.

On the left, however, I would suggest that Jeffrey Schlupp is moved into midfield so that Gideon Baah is brought in as cover for Baba Abdul Rahman.

Baah has has a good season at HJK Helsinki and is not dissimilar to Rahman in terms of ability.

I have suggested before that Rabiu Mohammed needs cover in his position because of possible suspension or injury and for me, Enoch Adu Kofi deserves a place.

The Malmo FF midfielder has been consistent and he should step in well to perform the water carrier job in Rabiu’s absence.

The loss of Kwadwo Asamoah to injury is a major blow to Grant’s hopes and he made it clear at his unveiling ceremony.

I am reliably informed that he is going to try to get Sulley Muntari back into the squad and perhaps Michael Essien too.

Muntari would be excellent for the deep lying playmaker role and mosyt of the time, he has come up trumps for the Black Stars.

If Grant wants him back, then together with the GFA, he would have to cut through to the incident between Muntari and Moses Armah in Brazil.

Personally, in the short term, I would go for Muntari, whose experience would be invaluable to the team, with Emmanuel Agyemang Badu as a cover.

Another young exciting option is Bernard Mensah, who has been turning heads in the Portuguese top flight for Vitoria Guimaraes. He would need some monitoring without a doubt.

As far as the flanks are concerned, Solomon Asante, Jeffrey Schlupp, Christian Atsu and Mubarak Wakaso should make their way into the squad barring injuries and loss of form.

Atsu in particular has had a torrid time at Everton and of the four, he might be the one to be left out if things do not improve in the next few weeks.

Andre Ayew in my opinion should be played in a free role to get the best out of him and if Grant chooses to go with one striker, then Andre would be the perfect person to play in the ‘hole’.

Asamoah Gyan’s place in the squad is without question, whilst Jordan Ayew should also make the squad, as should Abdul Majeed Waris.

One other player that should be joining the squad is Atalanta striker Richmond Boakye Yiadom, whose goal poaching skills would be a great asset to this team.

In all Grant has to make some quick and radical decisions if the Black Stars are to do well and emphasis should be on tactical discipline and organization, because South African and Algeria will rely on pace, whilst Senegal would rely on a mixture of skill and pace.

It is undoubtedly the toughest group and qualifying from it only means a quarterfinal date with either Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Mali or Guinea.

The odds seem stacked against the Black Stars, and Avram Grant would have to start earning his money when he begins work with the players and his technical staff.

When the squad is finally named, a deeper analysis would be done as per Ghana’s chances in Equatorial Guinea.