Sports
Akonnor now got ‘balls’
Last Thursday, chief coach of the Black Stars, Charles Kwablan Akonnor, was reported to have sacked one of the team’s inspiring players – Brentford FC winger Tariqe Fosu, for reporting late to camp.
The Stars had been camping in Cape Coast for double friendlies against Morocco (played on Tuesday on June 8 in Rabat) and Cote d’Ivoire (set to be played today at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium).
Deep-throat sources have confirmed the story, though some members of the national team initially tried to be dodgy and debonair about the issue.
Originally, it was reported by various media outlets that Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey, was the one flushed out of camp for reporting late – an allegation that was later to be debunked. Partey, it was explained by the Ghana FA later, had sought permission to be excused from the friendlies. People still hold contrary views.
It does not make sense to keep some of this information to the chest. In many jurisdictions, this incident would have been announced much earlier by the FA, so people do not make speculations here and there.
The swashbuckling Fosu, who played an instrumental role in Brentford’s qualification to the English Premier League, was one of the many foreign-based players invited for the two friendlies. And, being one of the fast rising Stars’ players, one would have expected him to join his colleagues in camp a day or two after touching down. At worst, he could have called the coach, to be excused.
From all indications, the UK-based player never did that – only for him to report to camp, five days or so after landing on home soil. That, certainly, is offensively unacceptable.
Worse was when he was spotted all over social media ‘chilling’ at a social event involving compatriot Chelsea star Callum Hudson-Odoi – who is also in the country for holidays, after a momentous season that culminated in the lifting of the UEFA Champions League trophy.
The Brentford winger was also captured in an exhibition game organised by Ghanaian musician King Promise at the Sakumono Queensland AstroTurf in Accra which involved Hudson-Odoi.
Manifestly upset about the foregoing, Akonnor had no choice but to reverentially ask the 25-year-old Fosu – who reported to the team’s camp 48 hours before their departure for the Morocco game – to leave because he was no longer part of his plans for the trip.
Though one does not have a comprehensive detail of what fully triggered Fosu’s sacking, one fact that was established was that the order came from Coach Akonnor.
By that show of ‘power,’ the Stars’ trainer has displayed rare courage, an act that could go a long a way to instill discipline in camp.
This is what we expect to see of Ghanaian coaches. As we have hammered over the years, nobody in the national team is indispensable. Nobody is untouchable. Nobody is irreplaceable. Nobody is more superior to the other. And, this is something that must be drummed home over and over again into the heads of our players.
What Akonnor has done would earn him more respect that condemnation and he must be goaded to do more.
During the 19th edition of the African Cup of Nations in Tunisia (1994), Zambia’s Irish coach Ian Porterfield (now late) sacked his team’s most in-form player at the time – Gibby Mbasela, ahead of a critical game, for breaching camp rules. Though Porterfield’s decision was lauded, many Zambians thought it was not judicious as it came barely 24 hours or so to a crunch game against ‘stubborn’ Mali.
Mali had then flushed out no other side than Egypt from the competition, beating the Pharaohs 1-0 in a frenetic quarter final clash – thus putting fear in the rest of the pack.
But that was the ideal moment Porterfield had chosen to sack the dazzling midfield loom, Mbasela. The message was clear: Nobody in the team was indispensable! Grippingly, morale in the camp of the Chipolopolos rather shot to the zenith.
Come to think of it, the Zambians proceeded to whitewash Mali 4-0 in an explosive semi-final clash – before losing respectably in the final to Nigeria 2-1, after Elija Litana had shot them into a third minute lead.
Though Zambia failed to win the trophy, Porterfield’s decision was hailed, and it is still celebrated, having pumped some depth of discipline into the fabrics of the team till date.
Like the former Zambia coach, Akonnor has been basking in all the showers of praise for that singular act. Of course, if for nothing at all, the rest of the players would sit up and be careful not to slip into any kind of misery.
Fosu may have behaved the way he did because he thought a ‘star’ as he is steadily mushrooming to be, he could report to camp even at the 11th hour and still get the benediction of the coach. Is it because Akonnor is a black coach? Fosu will certainly not dare to report to camp late if there was a white coach in charge of the Stars. Not so? It is high time our players respected their own.
When given the nod as Black Stars’ head coach, Akonnor promised to be his own man. Many doubted him. They say he has no ‘balls’ to bite. They say he could only be a yowling lot. Perhaps, by his action on the young Fosu, the same cavilers may start taking him seriously now.
One question on the lips of the game’s followers, however, is that would Akonnor have the guts to kick out marquee names like skipper Andre Ayew and brother Jordan, Partey himself and any of the most senior players had they gone the way of Fosu?
Well, until that happens, let us give Akonnor the credit for at least trying to drill some dose of discipline into the team.
PlainTalk with JOHN VIGAH
Ghana Premier League side, Nations FC, may have suffered the drop in the just ended Premier League and are destined for a fresh campaign in the Division One League (DOL).
But they stand a huge chance of remaining in the elite stage of the game as they face Dreams FC in an epic MTN FA Cup final at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium tomorrow at 6pm.
Dreams FC have been there before; going ahead to taste the honours in the 2022-23 season after defeating King Faisal.
Coming from a season that saw them crawl from the initial stages of the league to finish on a respectable fourth position, they come in as strong favourites to double their honours in the nation’s second top football competition.
History favours them in this regard. On their first final, they conquered and based on this, connoisseurs of the game have tipped them to make it ‘two-on-two.’
But Nations FC have been empowered by the age-old adage that “He that is down need fear no fall.”
Nothing can be worse than suffering relegation and exiting the limelight as far as exposure is concerned.
But the FA offers a decent opportunity to make them stay relevant.
Conquering Dreams FC would not just make them MTN FA Cup champions. It will grant them the prestigious slot to represent Ghana in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) second tier club competition- the Confederations Cup.
With Dreams FC harbouring the same ambitions, the stage is, therefore, set for a final that promises to be explosive and uncompromising.
The situation of Nations FC might have come to many as a surprise, considering their promising start to the season, with their defence especially, marshalled by Black Stars defender, Razak Simpson, and colleague central defender, Raymond Grippman, earning a lot of reviews.
But despite the struggles they endured at certain times of their campaign, the MTN FA Cup always provided slices of good fortunes as they managed to navigate their way to the final.
Road to the top
Nations FC began the MTN FA Cup competition on a promising note, enjoying some good runs with a win over DOL Zone Two side, Ebony FC, in the Round of 64.
That landed them in a tricky encounter with another high-flying Zone Two candidate, AshantiGold SC, a side that eventually won the title from the zone to qualify to the Premier League, but escaped.
At the round of 16 stage, they encountered and defeated Ghana Premier League side, Swedru All Blacks, 2-1 to gain progression to the quarter final stage where they edged Berekum Chelsea on penalties.
A dicey semi-final awaited them against Aduana FC in Swedru. It was a game Nations was given little chance to escape considering Aduana FC’s form but once again, they conquered to secure a final berth.
In total, the Abrankese-based club have scored eight goals and conceded only two throughout the competition, making them one of the strongest defensive sides in the tournament.
For Dreams FC, they defeated Division One League Zone Three side, Semper Fi, 2-1 to progress to the next stage of the competition where they accounted for Division Two side, Asanska FC, 2-0.
That handed them a quarterfinal berth where they faced Inter Allies and drew one all before winning 4-3 on penalties.
The happiest moment in their success story was a 3-2 semi-final win over GPL winners, Medeama SC.
With that feat, Dreams have been touted as potential winners as the match comes at a time the Nations FC side may be psychologically down over the weight of the challenge they face in the next season.
However, the competition has gain notoriety for not following any form guide and outcomes mostly coming as major surprises.
In this regard, Dreams may be tipped as favourite candidates but though Nations are wounded, the stakes could revive an insatiable desire to apply the brakes to turn the dreams of Dreams FC into a nightmare.
Support
The support from MTN Ghana has no doubt improved competition among the clubs with the attractive incentive packages for participating clubs.
MTN Ghana, which is celebrating 30 years of operations in Ghana, formally became headline sponsors of the Ghana FA Cup in the 2010/2011 football season after the competition had returned from an eight-year hiatus.
The first edition under MTN sponsorship was won by Nania FC, who defeated Asante Kotoko 1–0 in the final at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Since then, the competition has been known as the MTN FA Cup, with MTN renewing its sponsorship several times — in 2013, 2017, 2020 and again for subsequent seasons.
By Andrew Nortey
The Black Stars have opened camp in Cardiff ahead of next week’s international friendly against Wales.
The team is being taken through training drills by head coach Carlos Queiroz.
Thirteen players trained at Dragon Park on Monday, with others expected to join the squad on Tuesday.
They include Ernest Nuamah, Brandon Thomas-Asante, Jordan Ayew, Caleb Yirenkyi, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, Elisha Owusu, Gideon Mensah, Marvin Senaya, Jerome Opoku, Benjamin Asare, Joseph Anang, Solomon Agbasi, and Alidu Seidu.
The Black Stars will train in Cardiff for one week ahead of the international friendly against Wales on Tuesday, June 2, before traveling to the United States of America.
Coach Carlos Queiroz will use the period to assess his players before naming his final squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Twenty-six players will be submitted to FIFA on Monday, June 1, as mandated by the competition regulations.
The Black Stars are drawn in Group L with Panama, England, and Croatia. They will open their World Cup campaign against Panama on June 17 in Toronto before facing England and Croatia in their other group matches.
