Sports
Fare thee well, Nana Pooley
Suggestions to name the current season of the Ghana Premier League (GPL) after the murdered Asante Kotoko fan, Nana Pooley, has been treated in some quarters as a joke.
But after considering the damage the incident had on the competition’s image and the forced initiatives that followed the infamous event, naming the 2024/25 season after him should be the easiest thing to do.
On a bright match day 19 at Nsoatre, football lovers had thronged the venue to have fun watching Nsoatreman, a young and forceful club rubbing shoulders with previous continental giants, Asante Kotoko.
Until the unfortunate incident, the atmosphere had been serene and charged football-wise despite earlier skirmishes by fans as both teams arrived.
There was security presence but as to why they failed to bring the situation under control remains answers to come out following investigations into the matter.
Kotoko then started flexing their muscles, opting against the continuation of the league. Interestingly, in death, they courted the support of their biggest rivals, Hearts of Oak.
And of course when you have this two together taking such a decision, then definitely, the FA, organisers of the competition must move from its plush office at Ridge and hit the roads to Oseikrom to sympathise with the Asanteman warriors.
Yesterday, Nana Pooley was laid to rest after a funeral ceremony held at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium. For some, he died as a hero and would forever be remembered.
That, perhaps, explains the call to name the season after him. That is quite subjective.
But come to think of it; if Hearts and Kotoko rode on the back of the Nana Pooley incident to remind Ghanaians of their ‘heavyweight’ status, then it would not be a bad idea to name the season after the fallen porcupine.
Again, as a result, preparation and documentation to get an autonomous body to run the league was dusted after finding comfortable rest in lockers at the FA.
The big clubs tested the waters but a swift response from the FA, regarding it readiness to hand over the process to the body (Autonomous Premier League) it claimed had already registered, waiting the Premier League clubs to show up, calmed the nerves of all.
Then the biggest of all was the introduction of the Enhanced Matchday Security Protocol and a review of match venues, some of which have been rejected.
All manner of stakeholders have been caught up in the implementation of this protocol – Match Commissioners, Clubs representatives, Venue Media Officers and many others have all been offered training in order to ensure that safety remains the watch word at venues.
The fans have not been spared. Their leadership were also trained to educate their members on staying away from hooliganism.
After a month of work, the GPL is returning this season but with a tough sacrifice.
And one of the ways to not make the death of Nana Pooley be in vain is to nib hooliganism in the bud. That would obviously be supported by the protocols introduced by the FA.
Investigation would, however, continue until the culprit is arrested for justice to be served. That would surely make it known to fans that hooligans are not entertained at match venues.
The football family would miss your antics that infuriates some while others see the amusing parts to make the day an interesting one. Fare thee well, Nana Pooley.
By Andrew Nortey
Ghana will face Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia and Somalia in Group C of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The draw was held on Tuesday in Cairo, where African nations learned their routes to the continental tournament.
Two teams will qualify from each of the 12 groups of four for the finals. The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda — the first East African co-hosting arrangement in the competition’s history.
Ghana head into the qualifiers targeting one of the two slots from Group C after missing out on the previous edition in Morocco.
Qualifying schedule:
Matchdays 1 & 2: September 21 – October 6, 2026
Matchdays 3 & 4: November 9 – 17, 2026
Matchdays 5 & 6: March 22 – 30, 2027
Black Stars assistant coach Roger De Sá says joining Carlos Queiroz’s technical team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup was a no-brainer.
Speaking on Beyond The Whistle, the South African revealed Queiroz’s call was no surprise given their long-standing relationship and shared ambition.
“The call from Carlos did not surprise me. We have similar dreams and I always want to see him succeed,” De Sá said.
For the experienced coach, Ghana’s pedigree made the decision easy.
“Being called to assist Carlos was not difficult. This is Ghana and it’s the World Cup we are talking about,” he stated.
De Sá recalled the moment Queiroz rang: “It was an exciting 3am call. I told my wife first and, as custom, she said, ‘We are leaving.’ I replied, ‘Let’s go!’”
He praised Queiroz’s collaborative style: “Carlos listens. He doesn’t have to take every opinion, but he welcomes different views.”
Back in Africa, De Sá said the feeling was special. “It’s great to be back. Africa is not a place, it’s a feeling.”
The former Bafana Bafana assistant was full of praise for Ghana’s talent pool.
“There is so much natural talent in Ghana despite limited resources. As an African football lover, the talent here is unbelievable. You guys don’t know what you have with limited facilities and infrastructure,” he said.
Comparing both nations, De Sá noted: “We in South Africa have talent too, but a different kind with all the facilities. Yet we don’t go forward with our talent.”
Ahead of the World Cup, he believes the Black Stars only need unity.
“We are not going to teach them how to play. We have the players. We only have to put them in the right position, with the right frame of mind, and when they put on the jersey, they should perform.”
De Sá assured Ghanaians of the technical team’s commitment.
“We are here to do our best and make Ghanaians happy. If Carlos does his job, there is none better than him,” he said.
“We will pick our targets as they come. If our players play to their abilities, we have a realistic chance to progress,” he concluded.
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