The exit of the Black Stars from the 2014 World Cup in Brazil necessitated the setting up of a Presidential Commission of Enquiry and has also invited a lot of media criticism, ridicule and insults for the current FA. I have read in recent times some articles on how bad the GFA is and the fact that they have to be sacked.
I have personally been a strong critic of the FA and the likes of Mr. Jonathan Abbey Pobee, Mr. Takyi Arhin (Thunder) and Dan Kwaku Yeboah will attest to that fact.
However, as I reflected on the real issues which had led to the exit of the team, something tickled me to conduct a comprehensive search about the FA, with special emphasis on the achievements and shortfalls of the FA.
In my quest for that, I realized that in spite of some of their shortcomings, the current GFA, led by Osman Kwesi Nyantakyi deserves some credits.
Opera Winfrey once said, “Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough”
Based on the quote above, I wish to draw the attention of all Ghanaian football loving fans in general and colleague journalists in particular to be circumspect and balanced in our reportage and not to allow ourselves to be maneuvered, either directly or indirectly by some aggrieved ‘football people’ to achieve their selfish interests at the expense of the nation.
Let us appreciate what we have today to enable us get more tomorrow. The Holy Prophet of Islam, Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him) said, “Man laa yashkuran naasa, laa yash kurallah” (Meaning, he who does not appreciate the effort of man, does not appreciate the grace and kindness of God).
To be able to give a well balanced and a circumspective analysis of the achievement and shortcomings of the FA, I will subhead my article in such a way that it will be very easy and comprehensive enough for each and everyone to understand.
I will, therefore, look at the achievement of our national teams and their shortfall, the administration of our football, technical development of coaches, development of female football, infrastructural development and the milestone of our local league.
However, I must be quick to acknowledge that before the Nyantakyi-led administration came into power, the FA had no website, newspaper and a proper secretariat which are all in place now.
The National Teams
The Black Stars
To begin with, I find it outrageous and hard to believe why some of my colleagues concoct stories to send the signal that the FA has achieved nothing with the senior national team, the Black Stars, ever since the election of Kwesi Nyantakyi on the 30th of December, 2005.
Lest we forget, before the Nyantakyi-led administration took over in 2005, Ghana under the chairmanship of Uncle Ben Coffie could not qualify for the 2004 African Cup of Nations in Tunisia after we exited the competition earlier in Mali in 2002 where Samuel Osei Kuffour complained bitterly about jersey issues, yet after the takeover of the barrister, Ghana has never missed out of the prestigious African Cup of Nations since 2006.
I think this is an enviable achievement.
Qualifying for the AFCON for six consecutive times without being absent. I strongly believe that this is a remarkable achievement. I, however, hold the view that we must win it having gone as close as the final in 2010 in Angola and 2015 in Equatorial Guinea. But that cannot be achieved if we continue to chastise the FA and reduce them to the level of just a zero behind a decimal point. I do not believe in anything called constructive criticisms. They do not solve problems. We must do what I call suggestive criticisms. Let us suggest solutions to some of our challenges.
The people at the FA are also human beings like us. We need to support them to make it big for Ghana.
After missing out at the group stage in 2006, the Black Stars came 3rd in 2008, got to the finals in 2010 in Angola with an entirely inexperienced squad with 8 players from the 2009 U-20 World Cup winning team and made it to the finals again in 2015. What else do we expect from the Nyantakyi and his administration?
Of course we should have won it but can’t we give the benefit of the doubt that, even though we were not the favorites for the 2010 nations cup, we were able to get to the finals? In 2012, we were in Gabon/Equitorial Guinea where we placed 4th and repeated the same feet during the 2013 edition in South Africa. I won’t talk about the 2015 finals because the penalty shootout still scare me.
Now compare the above achievement to our previous achievement before the Nyantakyi administration took over as the FA President. After we got the Finals in Senegal 92, the farthest we have gotten in terms of getting closer to the nations cup trophy is placing 4th in 1996 in South Africa. We got kicked out at the quarter finals in Tunisia 94, got eliminated in Burkina 98 at the group stage, got eliminated at the quarter final stage at Ghana/Nigeria 2000, failed to move past the quarter final stage in 2002 in Mali and could not qualify for Tunisia 2004.
So the records are there for all to see. Let he who has eyes see and read with an open mind and not to chastise for someone’s selfish interest. Ghana football needs co-operation, support and continuity to get to the promise land. So what has Nyantakyi done wrong for Ghana Football? Is it a crime to qualify for all the major football tournaments since 2006 including three World Cups?
Ghana had never qualified for the mundial since the world cup was introduced in 1930 even after African teams commenced participation in the tourney. However, the Barrister’s administration has seen Ghana at all the three major World Cup tournaments from Germany 2006 through to South African 2010 and then the current Brazil 2014. So what is the crime of the Nyantakyi-led administration?
How suicidal has it been for Nyantakyi to get us to the World Cup for three consecutive times? For the records, after France qualified for the 1966 World Cup, they could not continue for the 1970 and 1974 editions. This means that, they could not make it three times consecutively. Again, in 1986, they qualified but could not follow it up with the 1990 and 1994 editions. So they could not make it again for the sake of making it consecutively.
Uruguay after qualifying for the 1974 edition could not make it to the 1978 and 1982 edition as well as missing out of the competition in 1994 and 1998 after appearing in the 1990 world cup.
For my last European example, I will look at Belgium. After 1954, Belgium failed to qualify for the 1958, 1962 and 1966 editions. Three absence consecutively. They also failed to make it in 1974 and 1978 after making it in 1970. And finally, after 2002, Belgium failed again for the 2006 and 2010 editions. But not the Black Stars. Ever since we started qualifying for the world cup in 2006, we have never failed to qualify, we are always represented. And I think the Nyantakyi-led administration deserves a thumps up. So if u cannot clap for Nyantakyi, do not crucify him.
THE BLACK METEORS
As we all know, the major events that use to showcase the Black Meteors are the Olympic Games and the All African Games. Under the regime in question, the Black Meteors, after making it to Athens in 2004 have struggled to respond to calls from Beijin Olympic Games in 2008, the London Olympic Games in 2012 and recently the Rio 2016 in Brazil.
This is where I have asked a lot of questions as to what has happened to the U-23 side that saw Ghana get to the semi finals and winning bronze at the Barcelona 92 Olympic Games. Oh, gone are the days when the likes of Shamo Quaye, Alex Nyarkor, Odartey Lamptey and Isaac Asare were lifting the flag of Ghana high at the Olympics. Yes, I remember Maxwell Konadu, Yaw Preko, Sammy Kuffour, Sammy Agyei, Oli Rahman, and Frank Amankwaah. These were the men who stood tall to defend the flag of Ghana in the ’92 Olympics. Khalilu Dramani, Gargo Mohammed and Kwame Ayew can never be forgotten as well.
But the question today is, where is our Olympics team Mr. Kwesi Nyantakyi? Where is it? Wait, I think I have found the answer. Has the Championship of African Nations (CHAN), affected the Olympics team in any way? Perhaps yes the CHAN was introduced in 2009 and Ghana seems to have concentrated and established a name at the tourney than at the Olympics.
Even with that, The Black Meteors won Gold at the All African Games in Maputo, Mozambique in 2011 and have qualified again for the All African Games again slated for Congo in September. Someone should please whisper this in the ear of the GFA President for me, ‘We can’t afford to come home without the trophy.
CHAN
This is a championship which was introduced by CAF to create the environment for local players to exhibit their talents and demonstrate how rich the African game has grown locally and ever since the competition started in 2009, Ghana has always been there. Got to the finals and placed 2nd in 2009 and 2014. We, however, could not do well in 2011 in Sudan as we got out of the group stage.
THE BLACK SATELITES (U-20)
In 2005 and 2007, Ghana could not qualify for the U-20 Championship in Benin and subsequently for the World Cup, but the Nyantakyi and his administration have been able to put very good plans in place to ensure we won the U-20 African Youth Championship in Rwanda and subsequently went on to win the World Cup in Egypt in 2009.
Let us not forget that Ransford Osei emerged the goal king with 7 goals in Rwanda while Dominic Adiyiah won the goal king at the world stage in Egypt with 8 goals. Is this not an enviable achievement?
We must also not forget that after the 2009 edition, we had 8 players who swiftly joined the senior team, the Black Stars during the 2010 Afcon in Angola where we won silver after losing out in the finals to Egypt courtesy a late goal by Mohammed Gedo.
Were all these achievements chalked under a different administration either than the Nyantakyi administration?
Please, let us be circumspect and balanced in our reportage. We went ahead to qualify for the 2011 edition in South Africa but could not make it out of the group stage but we went to Algeria in 2013, placed 2nd with Ebenezer Assifuah emerging the 2nd top scorer and at the World stage in Turkey, we placed 3rd with the same Assifuah emerging the goal king with 6 goals.
So my question is, must we only win the trophy at the world cup or the nation’s cup to demonstrate that we have achieved better? The answer is a big NO.
BLACK STARLETS (U-17)
At this level, Ghana qualified for the Championship in 2005 in Gambia, placed 2nd with Opoku Agyemang emerging the goal king with 4 goals, but got eliminated at the group stage of the World Cup in Peru 2005. In 2007, we placed 3rd in Togo with Ransford Osei emerging the 2nd top soccer behind Nigeria’s Chrisantos McCauley, and at the World stage we were third again with the same Ransford Osei emerging the 2nd top scorer with 6 goals.
We did not qualify for the 2009 and 2011 editions and got eliminated at the group stage in Morocco in 2013. And just recently, the MRI took its turn and denied us qualification again to the advantage of Cameroon. What went wrong? Why could we not make it?
This is where I think we must draw the attention of the FA to do things right to enable us get to the heights we want to be. Yes, what went wrong to deny us qualification in 2009 and 2011, dropping out in 2013 and being disqualified in 2015?
These are some of the questions we must ask and not to call for the head of the FA Boss and dissolution of the FA. Are we ready to start at square one? If no, then let us leave the Nyantakyi administration alone and support them with suggestions that will move Ghana football forward and stop the pull him down attitude. Please let us be objective for once.
FEMALE FOOTBALL
BLACK QUEENS
Since the Nyantakyi administration took over office in 2005, the Black Queens have always represented Ghana at any major competition apart from the 2012 African Women Championship in Equatorial Guinea and the 2015 Fifa Women’s World Cup.
We placed 2nd in Africa in 2006, and got eliminated at the group stages of the event in 2008 and 2010. We also qualified for the World Cup in China in 2007 and got eliminated at the group stages of the event in October 2014 in Namibia. We have recently qualified for the All African Games in Congo and got kicked out by Cameroon in the Olympic Games qualifiers. As for missing out of the 2016 Olympic Games, I don’t want to comment on it because it was clear the government was not interested in getting the Queens there. Are u aware that the winning bonuses of the Queens since their game with Zimbabwe in 2014 has still not been paid by government? So again, our representation has always been ensured.
If it is about qualification and participation, then the current administration is second to none and we must applaud them. However, I believe we can give productive suggestions to the FA to ensure we move beyond these stages.
BLACK PRINCESSES (U-20)
The Black Princesses have been the brightest spot for almost all our national teams since being in the semi finals in Africa in 2008 and representing us in Chile in that same year. We won it in 2010, 2012 and 2014 all in Africa and have represented Ghana in Germany, Japan and Canada respectively for the 2014 edition.
BLACK MAIDENS (U-17)
Since 2008, the Black Maidens have represented at all major competitions chalking successes in 2010 and 2013 as winners and placing 2nd in 2008 and 2012. We also placed 3rd in Azerbaijan in the same year with Didi Dramani as coach.
THE PREMIER LEAGUE
This is arguably the platform where a lot of Ghanaians have been accusing the FA for not raising the standard of our league and can buttress their point with the fact that since 2004, Ghana is yet to win a continental club trophy.
On this score I agree with the drummers that the FA must double their efforts to ensure that we uplift our image in terms of African club competitions. However, the FA can be credited a little for what they have been able to do for the league so far.
First of all, when the Nyantakyi led administration took over as the governors of our football, they were able to secure a ONETOUCH Sponsorship which was worth GH¢250,000 from 2006 and by 2008 it had grown to GH¢350,000.
Just as the sponsorship deal with ONETOUCH ended, another communication giant, GLO came on board to sponsor the Black Stars. The FA lobbied for GLO to sponsor the League in addition and they were able to get the sponsorship for the league even before GLO commenced sponsorship for the Black Stars.
GLO started sponsoring the league from December, 2008 with $3,000,000 before starting the Black Stars sponsorship in 2009. A lot still needs to be done. Yes, I agree. But let us not forget what Oprah Winfrey said, “Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough”.
The above sponsorship deals have ensured that in 2009, Aduana Stars were handed a pickup van for winning the league, Berekum Chelsea and Asante Kotoko were given Nissan Mini Vans for winning in 2010 and 2011 respectively.
However, Kotoko is yet to receive their prize for winning the 2012 and 2013 editions of the league which is quite incredible. But my question is, why is Asante Kotoko quiet?
The FA claim that the then sponsors of the league, GLO defaulted their part of the contract and the issue is in court now. So is this an indication that Kotoko are aware of what is going on and that they know the current predicament of the FA? If that is the case, which I believe it is, then what must we do as professional journalists. False reportage and personal aggrandizement will not solve the issue. Let us provide suggestive criticisms.
The GFA belongs to all of us.
We must also acknowledge the fact that the FA has recently secured a deal with Supersport believed to be in the region of $2100 for three years, for the coverage of our league and our league is now live on the international stage.
This is the first time such a deal is being witnessed in Ghana. An enviable achievement by all standards. I am not saying the FA is an angelic organization but let us support them with proper suggestions which can see Ghana football at the zenith of World Football
Not that alone, the local league now has a brand sponsor, First Capital Plus Bank. The amount of money involved in this sponsorship is $10,000 for five years, $2,000 a year. Even though, the league deserves better sponsorship deals to ensure that referees and players are paid well, I believe we must encourage the FA to do more to ensure the Ghana league rubs shoulder with the South African League (PSL), the Egyptian League, the Tunisian League, etc.
Before I move to a different area, can you please tell me the sponsorship packages for the 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 league?
HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
As a strong advocate of continuity, I believe strongly that the current FA has also developed our human resources in terms of the personnel who are needed to propel the game to the next level. Are we aware that by virtue of the fact that Kwesi Nyantakyi is an executive committee member of CAF, he has used his lobbying skills to ensure that as many as nine Ghanaians including Alhaji MND Jawula, Mr Walarnyo Aggrah, Justice Anim Yeboah, Mr. Fred Crentsil, Mr. Felix Ansong, Mr. George Afriyie, among others, are on the various standing committees of CAF?
Not that alone, Ghana can now boast of Coach Oti Akenten, Uncle Ben Koffie and Mas-ud Didi Dramani as CAF technical instructors who travel far and near in the name of Ghana to organize coaching courses for various coaches in Africa.
All these achievements have been realized under the umbrella of the President Kwesi Nyantakyi led administration.
Well, the FA has, since 2006, trained 1273 coaches to handle the local game. 83 of them are Caf Licensed ‘A’ coaches and the rest are ’B’ and ‘C’ coaches.
CHALLENGES
It will be unprofessional on my side to outline the achievements of the FA without pointing out areas I think the FA can strengthen.
Do you remember the GLO Sponsorship deal for the Black Stars and the Midsea incident? Do you remember Abraham Boakye (One Man Supporter) and the one who brokered the GLO deal?
Do you also remember how the Supersport deal was secured? Have you enquired about why the FA Chairman and his vice alone went to South Africa without disclosing the entire amount?
These are legitimate questions which deserve intuitive answers. Yet, the multimillion dollar question is, why are the Premier League Clubs quiet? Why did they fail to appoint a representative to be with the FA Chairman and his vice to South Africa to secure and sign the deal? Must journalists fight on behalf of the clubs when they have learned and able leaders to shoulder their responsibilities for them?
I know discerning Ghanaians are reading this and as discerning and shrewd as you are, the ball is in your court.
What is your view of the FA now?