Local Black Stars
There is a wrong perception in Ghana that everything local is of poor quality hence the recent rigorous campaign by the Government of Ghana for the patronage of made-in-Ghana products.
I personally believe in Ghana and think the “Ghananisation” can do the country a lot of good.
In that sense, I have even advocated for the translations of our national anthem, God bless our homeland Ghana into Ghanaian languages.
The understanding of the translated versions, therefore, can better motivate our sportsmen and women to offer their best when competing internationally as the anthem is played.
I always love watching the Koreans and Japanese when they are in such mood.
The recent comment by Nii Lante Vanderpuije concerning re-naming of the local Black Stars should be a welcoming news.
I have known him when he was a sports commentator with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC).
He granted me interviews on few occasions concerning my introduction of the once-used “Golden goal” rule into world football by FIFA. He was a footballer himself and has been with sports for a very long time and I think he deserves the position he now occupies.
May God lead and guide him because the Ministry of Youth and Sports is something I cannot mention. The sports fraternity knows that.
The Black Stars Team B consists players who ply their trade in Ghana only. The Team A comprises mostly foreign-based players.
As usual, the Team B is called the local Black Stars but according to the Youth and Sports Minister, that name was quite demeaning and therefore, must be changed. That observation is correct.
In the light of the aforesaid, I would like to suggest that the local Black Stars should simply and accordingly be called THE B-BLACK STARS which would mean the Black Stars Team B.
Those local players can, therefore, be suitably referred to as THE B-PLAYERS. The Team A which consists mostly foreign based players should maintain their name, The Black Stars.
I hope the appropriate bodies concerned would take that matter up immediately and effect the necessary change that can serve as a morale-booster to our Local Black Stars ( THE B-BLACK STARS).
