By El-Amisty Nobo
“He who dances to Surugane must know that Surugane is dance with experience.”
The Black Stars of Ghana will be seeking to win its fifth African Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy in Gabon as the biennial football tournament is all but set to kick off in less than a week.
The last time Ghana won the main international association football competition in Africa (AFCON) sanctioned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) was in 1982 (over three decades) where the Black Stars won 7-6 on penalties over the host, Libya having played 1-1 in regulation time.
Despite facing competition from some of the powerhouses of African football, the Ghana Football Association’s target going into the 2017 African Cup of Nations in Gabon is the ultimate. That is, winning the gold (Trophy), but it is easier said than done.
Saying it is one, and making it happen is also another ball game altogether. After all, if wishes were buttercakes, beggers might bite.
Haven’t set such a humongous target for itself one would have expected that the activities of the Ghana Football Association on the road to the Gabon 2017 will reflect its readiness as such, but it is rather sad to note that the posture of the GFA suggests otherwise.
For instance, the Ghana Football Association has rekindled the unhealthy feud that existed between the association and the former Minister of Youth and Sports (Nii Lante Vanderpuye).
What is more gratifying to note here is that the main target of this uncandid Jamboree aiming at conspicuously brushing the former Minister of Youth and Sports with a paint of black is not that which the general public is interested in at this time looking at the task ahead.
Instead of concentrating on winning the AFCON trophy for the people of Ghana, the GFA is rather using subterfuge and bluff on many occasions to talk ill about Nii Lante Vanderpuye in the media, but what they forget is that their target will not stand for accuse should the Black Stars fail to lift the trophy.
Some of the rude rubbing of the Ghana Football Association and its cohorts towards Nii Lante Vanderpuye on-air is not only whimsical but highly capricious.
For instance, the same Kwesi Nyantakyi who holds a strong believe that the national teams such as the Satellites could not qualify to the African Youth Championship (U-20) due to the activities of Nii Lante Vanderpuye holds a firmly different opinion when it comes to achievement(s) under the same minister’s tenure of office.
Perhaps, the GFA and its allies are of the view that this is the ideal moment for them to throw tantrums of all phases regardless of how false it may seem to Nii Lante Vanderpuye but they need to bear in mind that, “It is only a child who will see a herbal medicine and call it a common vegetable.”
Mr. Kwesi Nyantakyi, speaking to the press on Monday, January 2, 2017 at the GFA secretariat said that the bonus structure of the team is yet to be determined. In fact, the President of the Ghana Football Association went on to add that the Black Stars management committee will hold a meeting with the new minister (Hon. Isaac Asiamah) in either UAE or Gabon to settle on the bonus structure of the team.
Mr. Nyantakyi’s reason was that the former minister (Nii Lante Vanderpuye) preferred negotiating bonuses with the playing body without the knowledge of the management committee. A situation he (Nyantakyi) believes accounted for the Black Stars inability to win their first Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against the Cranes of Uganda.
Ironically, Hon. Kwadwo Baah (an unofficial member of the transition team on sports) speaking on Asempa [94.7] FM’s morning show on Friday, January 6, 2017 claimed that the winning bonus of the Black Stars has been determined by the Ghana Football Association and the Nii Lante Vanderpuye’s led Sports Ministry.
Honorable Kwadwo Baah further reiterated that the winning bonus of the playing body has been categorized into group stage ($8,000), quarter finals ($10,000), semifinals ($12,500), and finals ($15,000). He was also emphatic that all the stakeholders, including the Ghana Football Association are aware of this.
Interestingly, Mustapha Hamid (spokesperson for President Nana Addo Dankwa-Akufo Addo) also claimed that the players of the Black Stars pleaded with him and the incoming sector minister of sports (Isaac Asiamah) when they held a meeting with the team on Sunday, January 1, 2016 at the Alisa Hotel in Accra, Ghana.
Begrudgingly, after months of travelling to Europe with the aim of scouting for Ghanaian football talents to augment the Black Stars, Mr. Avram Grant came to Ghana at the tail end of December 2016 only to organize a-three-day justify your inclusion exercise.
This infamous exercise was graciously superintended by the Ghana Football Association after which Coach Avram Grant named a provisional list of 26 players to begin camping in the United Arab Emirate only to drop 3 just under thirty-two (32) hours.
What is even more excruciating is that the Black Stars have not played a single friendly match as at now even though the press were told that Ghana was going to play its first training match on Saturday, January 7 against an unknown side.
To the GFA, I would say that the waltz of the ubiquitous wind, which is artificially blowing in the minds of its members should be enjoyed to its fullest, but the right thinking members of the society will not forgive them should the Black Stars come from Gabon with empty hands.
I wish to sign off here for a cup of tea, but before I do let me quickly wish the incoming minister the best of luck as he steps into the shoes of Nii Lante Vanderpuye.
Follow Amisty on twitter @ElAmistyNobo
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