What Really Wins A World Cup? Tactical Competence Or Supernatural Interference?

The events of today have completely taken some of us, myself included by surprise. I remember asking a question on my facebook status a few days ago as to whether Ghana's historic World Cup win in Egypt was down to the coach or down to the players. (By the way, thanks to all of you who responded with various views).. After startling revelations on Peace FM to the effect that the Black Satellites coach Sellas Tetteh was in constant touch with famed Nigerian prophet T.B Joshua to seek advice and prayers on how to engineer the victory, I guess the answer to the question becomes murkier and murkier. That the prophet grants interviews to the Nigerian media to showcase his role in Ghana's victory is bad enough, but for Sellas to openly admit it on Peace FM raises serious questions.

I will come to those questions in a bit, but let me pause and congratulate the Black Satellites technical bench, players and management members for the World Cup win, even though I still maintain that Sellas Tetteh was at times tactically exposed in some of the matches which resulted in bad second halves in at least three of the games (Ghana-Uruguay, Ghana-Hungary, Ghana- South Korea). This remains my personal opinion but if it is enough to win a World Cup, you won't find me quibbling too much. Also, I have been reliably informed that some of my views and questions on facebook have caused a bit of furore, with person or persons disagreeing with me vehemently on major media outlets (TV3 and Joy FM). I had no idea that I was that important and I perhaps naively thought that facebook is a place where any opinion of any sort could be expressed. I guess I was wrong, but many thanks to whoever made those comments. It simply means that I matter, and I am thus encouraged to carry on. Right or wrong, I guess that I can still express my views, but of course the agreements and disagreements are what make the profession of journalism so interesting. Forgive me for digressing. Time to get back to the issue.

After winning three trophies alone this year (WAFU, African and World Cup), one would have thought that Sellas had built a glittering CV, especially after being the first coach, and a local one at that, to give Africa her first ever World Youth Cup, not to mention the fact that Ishmael Yartey was made to look foolish because his allegations of bribery against the coach are not only yet to be substantiated, but Sellas Tetteh’s squad selection paid off spectacularly. As I mentioned in one of my previous notes, ‘The sad thing about it all is that the 21-man squad picked by Sellas Tetteh is probably more than capable of doing Ghana proud at the World Cup, but should anything go wrong, these allegations will return to hit the coach like a bolt of lightning.’ Through all this, the bigwigs at the Ghana Football Association have stood solidly behind Tetteh, and with the revelation by the GFA that Yartey was yet to respond to a letter it had sent to him, the bribery allegations looked like going away. And now this! I do not know whoever Tetteh’s advisors may be, but he scored a virtual own goal by agreeing to speak on the issue. Had he politely declined to speak, he would have kept his dignity and enhanced his reputation and perhaps, the conclusion drawn would have been that of Prophet T.B. Joshua attempting to steal some glory. Don’t get me wrong; I am not in any way casting doubt on the prophet’s credibility but I sometimes get a bit unnerved when some of us take all the glory instead of giving it to God. Instead, Sellas spoke, probably with the best of intentions, and in so doing has cast serious doubt over his own competence. Funny, isn’t it, for a man who contributed to Ghana’s sterling show in Germany, who played a part in Ghana’s successful qualifying campaign for South Africa and who has landed three straight trophies without losing a game!

For instance, he all but confirmed that he had been told which players to select for the penalty kicks. Do I sense that something is seriously wrong somewhere here? One of the enduring images of the final that will stay with me forever is Tetteh’s reaction when Daniel Addo was sent off. He virtually screamed, had his hands on his head and the look of sheer anguish on his face depicted a man who at the time felt that all was lost. Let me emphatically state that Ghana’s victory owed a lot to the determination of the players that played on the day, but crucially the day simply was not Brazil’s day. On any other day a 2-0 loss would have flattered Ghana and have we so soon forgotten that Brazil were within a kick of taking the cup themselves. Indeed, had Maicon scored his penalty, we probably will have patted ourselves on the back for fighting so gallantly for 83 minutes with 10 men. Yes, divine intervention may have played a part in Ghana’s win, but Ghana were very fortunate and Brazil desperately unlucky. Again, I also feel that there was nothing wrong with Tetteh consulting men of God, but such things are better kept private than public, not forgetting the fact that these days, ‘so-called’ pastors are beginning to claim credit for virtually every good event that occurs, including Ghana’s qualification for Germany 2006.

The conclusion is that Sellas Tetteh has become his own worst enemy because he had surmounted serious challenges and his reputation had indeed been enhanced, but his confirmation of contact with T.B. Joshua on air has messed it all up again. Does that mean that similar consultations went on during Rwanda 2009 and that that was the reason for Ghana’s triumph? A friend of mine jokingly remarked that he thinks Sellas has had a run of bad luck. After seven years of acting as the Black Stars assistant coach, he got the job on temporary basis, only to be told by the GFA President, Kwesi Nyantakyi that he was not ready for the job. He then takes up the Satellites job, has to fight off bribery allegations and proves his accusers wrong by lifting the World Cup, and already, a clamour has begun for him to be included in the Black Stars technical team. Just when things seemed so good, he opens his mouth and controversy is re-sparked.

He hopes to grow with this team by getting the Black Meteors job, but he probably has to either get down on his knees to pray, or better still, give T.B Joshua another call for prayers and advice, otherwise, his latest ambition may prove a bridge too far.