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
Sports
GoldStars GPL feat no fluke
No prophet in Ghana would have been taken serious with prophesies of Bibiani GoldStars becoming the new champions of the 2024/25 Ghana Premier League (GPL).
That is not to take anything away from Coach Frimpong Manso, an Asante Kotoko legend, and his boys for the yeoman’s job they did in the just ended season.
They deserve every bit of the plaudits coming from well-wishers.
They came, they saw and conquered on their fourth year (2021/2022 season) in the elite stage of Ghana football.
Of course, this can only be a reality in the end but not a sound prediction at the start of the season.
But, so has it been. Stories like that of GoldStars sharply brings to mind a similar fairytale orchestrated in the advanced English Premier League (GPL) with the 2015/16 edition.
In the face of the Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool dominance, Leicester emerged with a bang, conquering every hurdle in sight with unsung heroes like Jamie Vardy, Wilfred Ndidi, Shinji Okazaki, Leonardo Ulloa, Danny Drinkwater, Robert Huth, Riyad Mahrez and others.
There was no indication of that sort at the start of the season.
As usual, the focus was on the aforementioned heavyweights but Leicester took the competition by storm to record a historic win.
Back home, the GoldStars story is not different. Despite the recent struggles by perennial favourites, Accra Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko, the two have always found their ways in fans prediction regarding the side to emerge winners.
Interestingly, both sides just managed to end up in the top four after Nations FC’s decision to abandon a game against Basake Holy Stars who cost them dearly, in the end, forfeiting the said game and going ahead to suffer a further three points deduction penalty.
Nations FC were actually the top favourites for the title until that ill-fated match against Basake Holy Stars.
Campaigning for the second year in the competition, very few followers of the game gave the Timber giants any chance.
But in the same ‘Rambo’ style, teams like Medeama SC and Aduana Stars descended on the GPL, GoldStars emerged with all guns blazing, strategically employing a tactic of making the Dun’s Park in Bibiani, a waterloo for visiting teams.
On a few occasions, they sprung surprises on the journey, recording a few upsets against gullible teams including Hearts of Oak in Accra.
They had a promising coach like Frimpong Manso who is yet to establish himself among the elites local coaches maybe because he is yet to work with any of the established club sides in the country.
But winning the local competition with a less endowed club makes you a legend, and truly, he has become one.
To management and other members of the technical team, one could only congratulate them for a job well executed.
The players have a huge role to play in proving that the feat was no fluke and that GoldStars has come to stay; and would continue to make an impact in the local game.
Much is not known about these players except Vincent Atinga who plied his trade with Hearts of Oak and Medeama SC. Others like Samuel Attah Kumi, Frank Amankwah, Kelvin Oppong, Charles Gyamfi Kamara, Abdul Farouk Amoaful, Gideon Anaba, Samuel Acheampong, Foster Agyei and Yakubu Haqq remain emerging talents aiming to carve a niche for themselves.
Definitely with the new challenge, some areas of the team would be strengthened as they face the finest sides on the continent.
Another season with a new champion should also serve as a wake-up call for the likes of Hearts or Oak and Asante Kotoko to quickly return to their glory days lest they lose their enviable place among the football elite clubs. Well-done GoldStars.
By Andrew Nortey
Sports
Golden Kick, a tricky obstacle for Kotoko in MTN FA Cup final tomorrow
The University of Ghana Stadium will come alive tomorrow when Ghanaian giants, Kumasi Asante Kotoko, take on lower tier side, Golden Kicks FC, in a thrilling climax to the 2024/25 MTN FA Cup final tomorrow at exactly 5pm.
The much anticipated game, which is more than just a battle for silverware but a meeting of tradition and ambition for both teams, is expected to draw thousands of football fanatics across the country to the Legon stadium for what promises to be a dramatic and tricky finale to this season’s domestic cup competition.
After an unsuccessful season in the Ghana Premier League which saw the Reds miss out on the title to Bibiani GoldStars, the Porcupine Warriors will be desperate to finish the season on a high by clinching the title to secure a place in the next CAF interclub competition.
The Reds have a rich history in the FA Cup competition having won it nine times and will be eyeing their 10th title to stamp their authority as the overall best.
Before reaching this stage, Asante Kotoko eliminated formidable opponents like True Democracy, Sekondi Eleven Wise and Berekum Chelsea in the semi-final.
The availability of players like Justice Blay, Kwame Opoku, Frederick Asare, Peter Amidu Acquah and striker Albert Amoah, among other notable players will be a big boost to Coach Karim Zito’s side.
Meanwhile, the task will not be an easy one for Kotoko looking at the way their opponents reached the final with wins over Accra Hearts of Oak and Bechem United before climaxing it with Attram d’ Visser.
Coached by young and tactical Fiifi Parker Hanson, Golden Kicks have a combined youthful team with tactical discipline to punch well above their weight and relish the opportunity to shock the giants once more on a bigger stage.
This final is more than just a contest between Premier League royalty and a hungry underdog but rather a tale of two contrasting football identities. Kotoko brings the weight of tradition, experience, legacy and pressure while Golden Kicks arrive with nothing to lose and everything to prove which makes the game a promised one, full of thrills and fireworks.
By Enoch Ntiamoah
