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
Sports
Black Starlets arrives in Morocco on U-17 AFCON mission …FA boss charges team to make Ghana proud
The Black Starlets, the national U-17 male team, have safely arrived in Casablanca ahead of the 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The team departed Accra on Wednesday, travelling with a 35-man contingent made up of 21 players and 14 officials, all focused on delivering a strong campaign on the continental stage.
They completed a smooth five-hour flight to Morocco, where final preparations will continue before the tournament kicks off.
The technical team is expected to fine-tune tactics and build cohesion among the squad as they gear up for the competition.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) President, Mr Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, was present at the Accra International Airport to bid farewell to the team.
Speaking during a brief farewell at the Airport, the FA President urged the team to carry a ‘never say die’ spirit into the competition.
President Simeon-Okraku emphasised the importance of mental strength and unity, particularly in difficult moments during matches. His message was inspired by the team’s recent friendly encounters against Cote d’Ivoire, where they bounced back strongly after an initial defeat.
“I’m very happy that when you lost to Cote d’Ivoire in your first game during your friendly matches, you were able to bounce back—not only to dominate but to outscore them in the second game,” he said. “I read a lot of meaning into that, and I want all of you to keep that in your heads—that, it’s not over until it’s all over,” he added.
The FA president stressed that the ability to respond positively to setbacks would be crucial in a tournament as competitive as the AFCON.
He encouraged the players to stay united and support one another when the pressure intensifies on the continental stage.
“When the chips are down, that’s when we need to hold each other together,” Okraku added. “So go out there and make Ghana proud.”
Ghana will compete in Group D alongside Algeria, Senegal, and South Africa, with their opening match scheduled for Thursday, May 14.
Twenty-three (23) players have been called up for this month’s international friendly against Mexico.
The squad is composed of star players from the domestic league and European leagues who are closely monitored by Coach Carlos Queiroz, as well as U-23 players who will soon represent Ghana in the upcoming Olympic Games qualifiers.
Notable names include Majeed Ashimeru, Felix Afena-Gyan, Razak Simpson, and Birmingham City’s Ibrahim Osman.
Ashimeru returns to action after a long spell on the sidelines due to a muscle injury that limited his appearances at both club and national level.
Also in the team is Felix Afena-Gyan, whose last appearance for Ghana was in May last year when he featured against Trinidad and Tobago in the Unity Cup in London.
Barcelona B’s Abdul Aziz Issah, Ebenezer Annan of AS Saint-Étienne, Ibrahim Osman of Birmingham City, and Paul Reverson of Ajax FC have also been included in the squad.
Midfielder Salim Adams, one of the key players for Ghana Premier League leaders Medeama SC, leads the group of home-based players.
Others are Heart of Lions’ Ebenezer Abban, Ebenezer Adade of Dreams FC, and Nations FC captain Razak Simpson. Ghana will travel to Mexico for the international friendly on Friday, May 22, 2026.
