Tunisia' 2004: Team Bitter in Defeat

Ghanaians are angry and disappointed by the failure of the Black Stars to qualify for the 2004 African Nations Cup.

Although German coach Burkhard Ziese warned the local media that the team could lose to Rwanda in Kigali, his accurate prediction did nothing to lessen the fury of Ghanaian fans.

"The German had declared before the match that Ghana could so easily lose but that [statement] is unlikely to save his job," said the Chronicle newspaper. "The next few days will definitely see some heads roll," it opined.

Four time African champions, Ghana have not missed a Nations Cup final since 1992. The German guided the Black Stars to the 1992 finals in Senegal - after an eight-year absence - and returned to Ghana in March this year, on the back of popular support.

But the fans seemed to have turned on him, as there are overwhelming calls for Ziese to quit. "All we want is for the coach to go the moment the team returns [to Ghana]," one fan said.

Others see Ghana's failure to qualify for the Nations Cup as a wake-up call. "It is good we are not going. Considering how poor our team is now, we would have been disgraced in Tunisia," another fan said.

Ghana's failure to qualify for the Nations Cup was aggravated by the qualification of Benin under the guidance of former national manager Jones Attuquayefio.

Attuquayefio was unceremoniously sacked by Ghana's FA in 2001 for 'poor results'. On its back page, the state-owned Daily Graphic said the Beninois owe their historic feat to the Ghanaian's astute management. Benin's qualification under a man Ghana rejected has put the FA's decision to sack him under close scrutiny.