Sports
Hughton’s clock ticking
• Chris Hughton
(This is the concluding part of an article published last week)
The latest heartbreak has even called into question Chris Hughton’s (Coach) competence to steer the team to a successful AFCON in January and to also secure Ghana a World Cup qualification berth.
Seriously, fans are witnessing a very porous Black Stars team shipping in more goals than they score.
Surprisingly, the deteriorating performance of the Black Stars is at a period where there seem to be an upsurge of Ghanaian players performing creditably in some of the major leagues around the world.
Mohammed Kudus seem to be fast establishing himself at West Ham United in the English Premier League just like Thomas Partey who is considered a pivot at Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.
The contingents from Germany, Spain, Italy and other places are all giving very good accounts of themselves but their performance for the national team has brought the technical team under the spotlight as well as the GFA which has constantly been at the receiving end of accusations of interfering in player selection.
The performance of some of these players do not suggest that they are the best at the disposal of Chris Hughton and his assistants.
If that was so, then Ghana is in deep talent crisis.
With the AFCON and World Cup qualifiers fast approaching, handlers of the team have very little time to negotiate the difficult curves they face in building a formidable
team that can restore the fans pride.
Patience is key in building winning teams but the competitive world of football gives credence to the saying that “Time and tide wait for no man” so no country or federation would wait for Ghana’s team building process to take shape.
It was gratifying persuading a few top notch players to switch nationalities in Ghana’s favour.
Through that process, there was a Tariq Lamptey ignoring England to don the Black Stars jersey, Inaki Williams ditching Spain to play for Ghana and others.
But it is taking too much time for them to switch into full gear.
Inaki, for instance, is yet to nail down a place in the Black Stars team. Apart from the inability to bang in the goals like he does for La Liga outfit, Atletico Bilbao with his brother who kept faith with Spain, he is yet to make the top striker position his.
He is not the only foreign based player struggling. Dennis Odoi started competitively but subsequent games did not go well with him. His situation was made worse by an injury that kept him out for a few matches.
Tariq Lamptey still look promising, putting up a couple of inspiring performances for Brighton and Hove Albion in the EPL even in an unfamiliar left full back position but is also yet to shine for the Black Stars.
Other well established performers like Thomas Partey, Abdul Salis Ahmed, Baba Iddrissu, Antoine Semenyo and Kamaldeen Sulemana etc. have become inconsistent with the Black Stars in recent days but have maintained their high standards at their respective clubs, raising concerns about commitment and dedication to the Stars course.
In the same manner the FA did the ‘try your luck’ with them based on the faith the technical handlers had in them, I implore the FA/Technical handlers to also give greater attention to the local players who are ready to offer that sacrifice, commitment and dedication lacking in the game of the foreign ‘angels.’
Even if it backfires, we should be ready to go again, after all, we have been with the overly pampered and motivated elites who we devote a chunk of resources on and get little or nothing to show for.
Until that bridge was crossed, the grumblings, cantankerousness and blame game would continue.
By Andrew Nortey
Manchester City forward Antoine Semenyo has been named on the official eight-man shortlist for the 2025/26 Premier League Player of the Season award.
The Ghana international is nominated alongside his City teammate Erling Haaland, Manchester United talisman Bruno Fernandes, Arsenal trio Gabriel Magalhães, David Raya, and Declan Rice, Nottingham Forest playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White, and Brentford striker Igor Thiago.
A season of high-profile excellence, Semenyo earns his spot on the prestigious shortlist following a stunning breakthrough year where he registered 16 goals and four assists in 35 Premier League appearances.
The 26-year-old split his highly productive campaign between two clubs, starting the season in electric form for AFC Bournemouth before securing a high-profile £64 million transfer to Manchester City in January 2026.
The versatile attacker adapted instantly to life under Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium.
He won the February EA SPORTS Player of the Month award after netting three goals in his first five games for City, and most recently opened the scoring in a 3-0 midweek victory over Crystal Palace.
Elite Competition for the Top PrizeThe Premier League confirmed that the winner will be decided by combining a public fan vote with the choices of an expert football panel.
Semenyo faces incredibly stiff competition from the other seven nominees who have dominated the 2025/26 landscape:
The Black Starlets will begin their 2026 U17 Africa Cup of Nations campaign today, Thursday May 14, 2026 with a highly anticipated Group D clash against Algeria in Rabat.
Ghana heads into the tournament determined to make a strong statement after an impressive qualifying campaign in the WAFU Zone B Championship.
The Black Starlets secured qualification to the continental showpiece after finishing second in the regional tournament, narrowly losing to Ivory Coast on penalties in the final after an intense contest between the two West African rivals.
As part of preparations for the AFCON, the Black Starlets engaged in a series of international friendly matches aimed at sharpening the squad ahead of the tournament.
Coach Dr. Prosper Narteh Ogum and his technical team tested the side against Ivory Coast on two occasions before concluding preparations with another competitive game against Mali in Morocco.
The technical handlers believe the preparatory matches have given the team the right exposure and tactical discipline required for the challenges ahead.
Algeria, meanwhile, also booked their place at the tournament after finishing runners-up in the North African qualifying tournament, UNAF.
The North Africans fell to hosts Morocco in their final qualifying match but demonstrated quality and resilience throughout the competition to secure qualification.
Thursday’s encounter is expected to be a fiercely contested affair, with both teams eager to begin their campaign on a positive note in a difficult group.
Speaking ahead of the game, Coach Dr. Prosper Narteh Ogum expressed confidence in the readiness of his players and praised their commitment during preparations.
“The boys have prepared very well for this tournament. We have worked hard over the past few weeks, played competitive friendly matches, and I believe the team is mentally and tactically ready for the Algeria game,” he said.
Dr. Ogum acknowledged the quality of the Algerian side but insisted his players are fully focused on executing their game plan.
“Algeria is a good side and qualifying from the North African zone is never easy. We respect them, but we are also confident in our own abilities. The players understand what is at stake and they are eager to make Ghana proud.”
He also emphasized the importance of a strong start to the tournament.
“Opening games are always very important in competitions like this. A positive result can give you confidence and momentum, so we are going into the match with determination and belief.”
The Black Starlets have looked sharp in training since arriving in Rabat, with all players available for selection and no injury concerns reported by the technical team.
Ghana will be aiming not only for success at the AFCON but also qualification to the FIFA U17 World Cup later this year, making every group stage game crucial in their quest for continental glory.
