Sports
Winning back a nation’s confidence
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BARELY a few days after taking over the reins of power in 2019, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) waged a vigorous campaign to ignite support for the Black Stars ahead of the start of the Cameroon 2021 African Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The passion-igniting campaign was aimed at galvanizing unflinching support for the Stars and pluck back some love for the team. Players, coaches and executives of the GFA took centre stage in the #BringBackTheLove campaign – the FA having partnered some media outfits to robustly push the agenda.
This was done ahead of Ghana’s game against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in their Nations Cup qualifying opener at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium on Thursday November 14, 2019, and Sao Tome, four days later.
In all sincerity, the campaign was in order as affection for the Stars had slumped considerably, to the extent that sometimes when they were in action right here in Ghana, only a few were bothered.
Heartily, it went well – seemingly – as the Stars dealt with both Bafana and the Sao Tome lads to qualify for Cameroon 2021. South Africa stunningly failed to make it.
Truth is, the players’ own distressing attitude for the lust for money and concomitant lethargic performance, have viciously combined to portray a pathetic portrait of unpatriotism. It used to be a perception. Now, it is no more – supposedly.
The Brazil 2014 World Cup tournament, where the Black Stars were humiliatingly flushed out in the opening round, may have happened five years ago. Sadly, the ugly happenings of that ill-fated campaign appeared to be freshly etched on the minds of Ghanaians.
The money-kissing-orgy, holding of the nation to ransom, and the crass show of indiscipline, have all snowballed into a near-hate for the Stars.
Recently, too, the players have not shown enough passion in their Group G Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifiers – and now appear to be losing the ‘small’ gains of love again.
It is the reason Chief Scribe of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Henry Asante Tsum, is calling on the players to churn out a positive reaction with victories in the back-to-back qualifiers in order to win back the confidence of the public.
“Our expectation is that the team will give us a positive reaction by winning the two games against the Warriors. We expect the players to show hunger and desire on the field of play to restore public confidence,” he told the Times Sports on Tuesday.
Indeed, Ghanaians expect the players to demonstrate great derring-do on the field of play, be prepared to die out of exhaustion rather than give up, and must have a winning mentality always embossed on their minds as they go about their businesses. For now, they have not exhibited that kind of doughty character enough; which is why the players have come under an amperage of criticism over time.
They ought to play like champions and leave inspiringly fresh memories on the pitch. Champions are champions, not because they are necessarily the most physically able or the most physically talented side. Champions are champions because they honour their commitment. When they set out to do something they do it, without fail, without trepidation, without question – with certainty. That is why they are champions.
Unlike Ghana who have clinched the continental Holy Grail four times, Senegal are yet to lay hands on one. However, they play like champions whenever the players have the opportunity to don their national jersey.
Indeed, our players must put commitment at the forefront of their game. A committed player, as they say, has the inner voice of a champion – as they keep working, keep moving, keep playing and staying focused.
Where the Black Stars are today, they do not really want players who are not committed to the task.
As a matter of fact, Ghana needs whole-heartedly committed band of players now more than anything else. Even if they are not as good as world-class stars, the fans will love to see the players give their all for second balls.
However, the fans will be left to feel a serious disconnection with the players – if nothing will suggest that they do not want to be there. This may be enough reason to see the cynosure of all eyes feed on the Stars as they breathe some inspiration into their World Cup campaign today at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium against bottom-placed Zimbabwe’s Warriors.
South Africa leads the group on four points – one better than Ghana and Ethiopia, after two rounds of games. For Ghanaians, their prayer is that the table must turn in their favour after the double-header on October 12.
CAF 2nd Vice President and President of the Ghana Football Association, Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, has visited the Black Princesses in Poland ahead of their opening game at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
The GFA President, who watched the team’s training session, assured the players of the Association’s full support and backed them to make history by qualifying from the group stage for the first time.
“A few days ago, I was in a chat with the head coach and I promised that I was going to join him for what I think is the most important game for us, which is the first game,” President Simeon-Okraku told the team.
“For me, the first game is the most important, because if we start well, chances are that we will do well. History tells us that this team has always been here. We’ve always been at this tournament for seven consecutive times. My inner faith is telling me that we have enough quality here to qualify from this group.”
He praised the players for their sacrifice and patience throughout preparations, saying their investment would be repaid on the pitch.
“You have been patient and gone through the troubles and the hassles. And you are here today. I believe that these sacrifices you have made, these investments you have made, will be repaid,” he said.
The GFA President stressed that Ghana has the quality to overcome their group opponents.
“We are faced by three opponents — Ecuador, Korea Republic and France. These three nations, believe me, are no better than us. We have enough quality in this team to win games in this group and to make it to the second round of the competition.”
“This tournament is played every two years, so after 14 years, this is the 16th year now — this group must be the one that makes it out of the group to the knockout stage. And this must happen.”
“I think the team is ready. The technical team have done a good job. The players have conducted themselves well. We will continue to support you to ensure you get the best to be able to compete at this level.”
He also charged the final squad to make those who missed out proud.
“A few of you were here but didn’t make the squad and had to leave. This is that moment that you have to make them proud.”
President Simeon-Okraku was accompanied to the training ground by Chief of Staff at the GFA, Michael Osekre, and President of Dreams FC, Jiji Alifoe.
Ghana will open their campaign against Ecuador on September 6, 2026, before facing Korea Republic and France in their other group matches.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
In the midst of the storm that rocked professional boxing organisation almost a year ago, a decision was taken which is unprecedented in the annals of the sport in Ghana.
Following the death of a Nigerian boxer in a Ghanaian ring, the modus operandi of the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) was questioned in various quarters.
Just when the storm appeared to have settled, another disaster struck. Ernest Akushey ‘Baubali’, a famous local boxer was lost to the icy hands of death, 10 clear days after a bout. It was such an unfortunate incident. May he keep resting in peace.
Even before the cause of death comes out, the GBA administration was put on the chopping board, and became a gum in the mouth of all. Almost everyone ‘chewed’ some.
Perhaps, considering the weight and ignominy of the incident, the mighty and powerful had to step in, taking major decisions to ensure some sanity in the sport.
Among the popular decisions arising out of this intervention was the call for sweeping reforms that led to the establishment of an Interim Management Committee (IMC) which has now assumed the role of the GBA because of the failure to organize elections to handover to an elected body because of the non-availability of funds.
The second was the last minute cancelation of a promotion to be staged by former boxer, Michael Nii Ayitey Okai, aka Ayittey Powers.
There appears to be some calm over the first decision as boxing stakeholders wait patiently, hoping that the IMC does the needful in no time.
But the latter, regarding the cancelation of the bout has continued, becoming a tango between the former boxer-now-turned promoter and the Director General of the National Sports Authority, Mr Yaw Ampofo Ankrah (YAA).
The Accra Regional Police Command this week arrested the veteran boxer, after he has reported himself at the station, over an alleged threat of death made against Mr. Ankrah after a video of him talking about the issue went viral.
A police statement said ‘Dada Powers’ was arrested in connection with an alleged threat made against the NSA boss.
Sadly, the circumstances under which the decision to cancel the promotion was made and the absence of a precedent to follow, have made a solution difficult to come by, a year after.
One remembers the back and forth about the decision as to whether the fight would be staged or not.
With assurances that the fight would go on, Powers claimed to have paid so much to boxers in terms of purses and other organizational expenditures, only for the NSA boss to drop the ill-fated announcement cancelling the promotion.
Since then, Dada Powers has seen the decision as a unilateral one from the NSA boss and has constantly blamed YAA for his present predicament. What is, however not clear is the form of compensation Powers is asking for.
As of now, one is at a loss whether he is seeking a refund of his expenditure or awaiting clearance to stage the fight.
If it were to be the latter, there would be no problem with that since boxing promotion has return in full force with the IMC sanctioning close or over 10 promotions.
This problem should not have arisen in the first place if that decision had been carefully thought through. If that was done, it would have found a way out of the mess it created for both parties.
Clearly, Powers is seeking for a sort of compensation which he has failed to communicate well. Despite the guidance from well-meaning people, he decides to sometimes use some ‘ring’ tactics to express his concerns.
If Powers is not aware, he must be advised that there are laws that governs every transaction or activity so no matter how legitimate his concerns may be, he is bound by the same laws to demand for justice in the right way.
Now in the custody of the police and latest reports suggesting the matter has ended up in court, the focus now shifts from the substantive matter to his behaviour that puts him in a bad light for a certain class of people.
Instead of seeing Yaw as an ‘enemy of progress,’ he must show an interest in working closely with him and others to find an amicable solution.
Maybe by extension, the decision to cancel that bout should be subjected to a probe – to know how it came about, it merits and demerits and whether it was in the best interest for Ghana boxing.
By Andrew Nortey
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