Sports
Will Akonnor’s exit bring back the shine?
DAYS when the mere mention of the Black Stars evoked trepidation and terror, now appears to have evaporated into thin air.
Today, when the senior team take to the pitch, it is a painful penance watching them play as they are full of faulty passes, uncoordinated play, poor inter-positional changes, lack of passion and discipline, ineptitude, erratic shooting, low-on-intelligence, name them.
The drastic dip in form has come as a major concern to stakeholders – especially the long-suffering fans, who have had to endure a lot of anguish over the years – the Stars having failed to win any major trophy since Libya ’82 (39 years ago) when they annexed the continental Holy Grail for then fourth unprecedented time.
Failure to win the African crown all these years has seen Egypt now equal Ghana’s record – grabbing the coronet three times more, to make it number seven. Cameroon, who had not won a single trophy in 1982, are now five-time winners of the Cup. Whatever happened to Ghana, one can not readily decipher – unless to say that we have not been honest to ourselves.
We are pack of liars! Our football authorities have said one thing and done another. They have never been consistent with their own vision, and have always been betrayed by their own utterances.
Ghanaians have been told that only players playing consistently in their European leagues, and who are in fine fettle, would be invited into the national team. Not so? But is that what is happening now?
Less than a fortnight ago, a Germany-based forward Bryadon Manu, blew the lid off the Ghana Football Association (GFA) after getting an invitation into the national team for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers – insisting that he did not expect it because he “hadn’t played much” at club level.
It was reported variously that Manu had played a measly 78 minutes out of the available 540 in the Bundesliga II and Pokal Cup, for club side Darmstadt, this season, and was stunned by his invite.
“It came like nothing; I was surprised because I thought it was fake. I didn’t believe it. The Ghana Technical Director (Bernhard Lippert) called to tell me and I was happy but still, I was like how? To be honest, I hadn’t played that much to earn the call-up but then I told myself maybe they had seen something in me that other people hadn’t seen,” the honest Manu shared on social media.
The 24-year-old was included in the squad for games against Ethiopia and South Africa because of the absence of some key players. He did not play in both games, though.
You see how they are toying with the national team? It is heartbreaking!
How do you call a player in a fourth tier club in Germany who is not even playing consistently – as against the very consistent ones in your domestic top flight – who have performed tremendously well in the just-ended league? If we cannot select players from a league that the GFA itself described as “highly competitive” and can match some of the best in the world, then there is absolutely no justification to have a running league. Do you not think so?
How would any coach worth his salt, ignore the top goal-poacher of his national football league (Diawusie Taylor)? What message are we sending to the world? That strikers in our top-flight are not worth considering? Well, that is a question for the Ghana FA and its German Technical Director Bernhard Lippert, to respond to.
So, on Monday, the FA relieved Black Stars Coach CK Akonnor of his post, following a series of bad performances. The sack did not come as a stunner to many. Akonnor himself could have saved himself this embarrassment if he had resigned his post long ago; because it was limpidly clear he was not in charge of affairs. Many European coaches in the kind of situation that he found himself ahead of his dismissal would have stepped down long ago to save his face. But typical of an African coach, he did not; he may have been thinking more about the $25,000 monthly salary.
Akonnor was sacked together with his two assistants – David Duncan and Patrick Greveraars and Lippert is expected to work with the goalkeeping coach and other technical team members left in the interim. It baffles the mind why Lippert is still at post. As the Technical Director, how could he absolve himself from blame in the milieu of the foregoing, especially with regard to the Stars’ despicable performances? How do you set up the man to fail by inviting fourth division players for him and think you should not be touched? Indeed, what has Lippert added to the team since his appointment last year? This is unacceptable by an FA whose president should also have packed off with the shamed technical team.
As of press time on Wednesday, the FA had appointed a three-member committee comprising of its vice president Mark Addo, Upper East Regional Football Association Chairman, Alhaji Salifu Zida and Dr Randy Abbey, to find a head coach and assistant coaches for the Black Stars within the next 72 hours.
The Stars slipped into third position of Group G of the World Cup qualifiers after losing to the Bafana Bafana of South Africa at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on September 6. The South Africans now have four points (having earlier drawn with Zimbabwe away). Ethiopia are second on the ladder with three points after upstaging Zimbabwe at home, the last-gasp win coming via a 94th minute spot-kick.
Though only two games played, the Stars – former World Cup quarter-finalists, have not given any strong indication of making it to the Mundial. They have been very less inspiring and really embarrassing in both games against Ethiopia and South Africa, selling out some disjointed football of dishonour to the world.
Indeed, against Bafana, the Stars did not even fire a single shot at goal. For 90 minutes, they lumbered their bodies on the field like drunken giants moving with the limbs of a mosquito. It was disgraceful watching them on a soil on which they subdued the world to some eye-catching piece of football during the 2010 World Cup tournament. It was the major trigger to Akonnor’s eventual departure.
Come next month, the Stars would attempt to stage a resurgence of their World Cup campaign as they first host Zimbabwe (who have also sacked their coach) and then hit the road to face them in the return. Question is, can Ghana pick the maximum points in both games? Would Akonnor’s exit bring back the missing shine with the appointment of a new sweat merchant? A sixty-four-thousand-dollar question with no response for now!
Fingers crossed!
Sports
Sports Ministry, PGA Ghana to roll out ‘Golf-in-School’ programme
The Minister for Sports and Recreation, Mr Kofi Iddie Adams, says his sector is ready to leverage golf as a tool for sports development and environmental consciousness in the country.
In his view, a sport like golf must be given the needed attention because of its potential to enhance development and boost economic benefits to the youth.
Mr Adams gave the remark when he received a delegation from the Professional Golfers Association (PGA), Ghana.
The team was led by its president, Mr Hans De Beer and accompanied by other top officials.
At the heart of the meeting was a shared commitment to reposition golf, most importantly professional golf as a powerful tool not only for sporting excellence but also for promoting ecological awareness and social inclusion.
Mr Adams acknowledged the current collaboration between the ministry and the PGA and acknowledged PGA’s recognition of the Ministry’s support for both amateur and professional golf in Ghana.
He stated that sports development cannot thrive in isolation and requires strong partnerships, visionary planning, and collective action, emphasising the importance of golf in promoting discipline, strategy, and respect for nature.
According to the Sports Minister, every golfer becomes an advocate for the environment, adding that “it is time to introduce golf in schools. This initiative would nurture young minds to value green spaces while embracing a sport that has enormous potential for tourism, health, and character development.”
He assured the PGA team that their collaboration would move beyond dialogue into action, with plans to develop golf-in-schools programmes, roll out climate-awareness campaigns, and engage communities across regions in growing the game.
That vision, he said aligns with the country’s efforts to promote sustainable development and environmental conservation.
“By introducing golf-in-schools, it would instill values of discipline, hard work, and respect for nature in young people. The planned golf-in-schools programmes would not only promote the sport but also provide opportunities for young people to develop important life skills,” Mr Adams who doubles as a Member of Parliament for the Buem Constituency stated.
Responding, Mr De Beer, expressed their gratitude for the sports Minister’s support and commitment to developing golf in Ghana and also welcomed the opportunity to collaborate with the Ministry and contribute to the growth of the sport in the country.
The meeting marked the beginning of a long-term partnership between the Ministry and the PGA to strengthen golf in Ghana and build a legacy that connects sport with sustainability.
Other PGA executive members who were present at the meeting include: Alhaji Ahmed Padori, Vice President, Tournament Director, Eric Henaku, Assistant Tournament Director, Francis Torgah, Emos Kwablah a senior member and Secretary of the Ladies’ Professional Golfers of Ghana Mercy Werner
By Spectator Reporter
Sports
Neequaye’s GBA exit …What might have caused it?
AN announcement from the communication team of the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) informing stakeholders about the resignation of its president, Mr Abraham Kotei Neequaye has got fans thinking.
The resignation in itself is not a big issue.
Fact is, under the current circumstances, it may seem the best decision by Mr Neequaye who has supervised the most tumultuous boxing era in Ghana.
That is not to suggest that previous leaders of the association were saints; however, the level of acrimony under this administration is unprecedented.
Lucky to have witnessed the era of Mr Nii Quaye Mensah, Mr Moses Foh-Amoaning, Mr Samir Captan, Mr Peter Zwennes; one can confidently say the scene has never been that electric.
But what exists now is nothing short of a life in the boxing ring.
Wednesday’s announcement of an indication to resign yesterday (Friday, June 27) also got a few tongues wiggling with the timing.
Seeming to have brave the odds to such a crucial time that the association was preparing for its Elective Congress to put in place a new executive team; and Neequaye himself sounding confident of retaining his seat for another term, only to drop his guard last minute clearly suggests that there is more beyond what the eye can see.
Evidently, there is fire on the GBA’s corridors of power.
He has cited personal reasons for the decision but that has also sent journalists on a wild goose chase, finding anything available that is related to boxing to connect.
It has also left the Pandora’s Box opened with all manner of reasons flying around the media space.
A section of the media have tried to link the decision to findings and recommendation by a ministerial committee formed to probe the circumstances under which a Nigerian boxer died in Ghana during a fight sanctioned by the GBA.
Others are of the opinion that the embattled GBA boss was only trying to face the realities of the time.
This has come from a school of thought that he has realised he stands no chance in the impending election due to the bad blood between him and a huge number of stakeholders of the sport.
A few have managed to introduce some political theatrics into the Neequaye resignation drama, citing tensions between him and some party big wigs including the Minister of Sports and Recreation.
These are interesting times for the boxing fraternity.
But it’s amazing how time flies and how a lot of things can change with time.
Four or so years ago when Mr Peter Zwennes decided to step down as GBA boss, Neequaye was deemed the Messiah to take the sport to a new level.
He gained the support of these stakeholders who have become sworn enemies and was able to win against some heavyweights including a former promoter, Mr Henry Manly Spain.
The coaches, promoters, boxers, referees and other identifiable groups sang his praise but how all of these changed in less than a year remains a mystery.
Just after a year, key members of his executives confided in friends about contesting their president who they claimed to be going ‘out of order.’
Aside the verbal exchanges, other issues have gone to court for interpretation but all these moves are yet to restore peace and sanity in the GBA.
Stakeholders planning to shock Neequaye at the polls may be left stunned by the decision to bow out at the 11th round.
It is the hope of all that the next elected president can restore the peace and unity the GBA enjoyed and bring the stakeholders together.
But, however one looks at it, the history of the GBA would be incomplete without the strides of Neequaye whose tenure replicated the Foh-Amoaning’s Mortein Boxing League with what came to be known as the Imax Boxing League which also came with its own stories and challenges to promoters.
By Andrew Nortey
