By Sheikh Tophic Sienu
The recent poor show of the Black Stars at the just-ended Africa Nations Cup has invited a lot of vilification on the President of the Ghana Football Association with numerous calls by a section of the Ghanaian public that he must resign. Honestly, I was not the least surprised because I expected that, more especially from the people I had predicted will raise that issue.
According to proponents of the ‘Kwesi Nyantakyi must resign’ theory, the FIFA Council member must step down for making it to the semifinals of the AFCON on six consecutive occasions without winning the ultimate. Can this be reason enough to call for the GFA Boss to step down?
As I reflected over calls by proponents of the theory to get the man to step down, I tried to look at the reign of Kwesi Nyantakyi and to assess the level of Ghana football under his administration. Shockingly, I ended up tagging him the Messiah of Ghana Football despite the few shortcomings under his office.
Opera Winfrey once said, “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough”
Based on the quote above, I wish to draw the attention of all Ghanaian football loving fans in general and colleague journalists in particular to be circumspect and balanced in our reportage and not to allow ourselves to be maneuvered, either directly or indirectly by some aggrieved ‘football people’ to achieve their selfish interests at the expense of the nation. Let us appreciate what we have today to enable us get more tomorrow. Let’s always think of the person who planted the tree when eating the fruit.
The Holy Prophet of Islam, Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him) said, “Man laa yashkuran naasa, laa yash kurallah” (Meaning, he who does not appreciate the effort of man, does not appreciate the kindness of Allah).
Don’t be taken aback by the title of this piece, I find no better title for it because the man deserves better than he is getting.
To be able to give a balanced and a circumspective analysis of the achievement and shortcomings of the FA, I will subhead my article in such a way that it will be very easy and comprehensive enough for all to understand. I will, therefore, look at the achievement of our national teams and their shortfall, the administration of our football and the milestone of our local league.
The National Teams
The Black Stars
To begin with, I find it outrageous and hard to believe why some of my colleagues concoct stories to send the signal that the FA has achieved nothing ever since the election of Kwesi Nyantakyi on the 30th of December, 2005.
Lest we forget, before the Nyantakyi-led administration took over in 2005, Ghana under the chairmanship of Uncle Ben Coffie could not qualify for the 2004 African Cup of Nations in Tunisia, yet after the takeover of the barrister, Ghana has never missed out of the prestigious African Cup of Nations since 2006. Is this not an enviable achievement?
Egypt, who have won the Afcon on seven occasions missed out in 2012, 2013 and 2015 whilst Nigeria failed to make it in 2012, 2015 and 2017. My argument is, if Nynatkayi has succeeded in making Ghana so powerful that we think we are better than Nigeria and Egypt, why are some people behaving as if he is truncating the future of Ghana football?
After missing out at the group stage in 2006, the Black Stars came 3rd in 2008, got to the finals in 2010 in Angola with an entirely inexperienced squad with 8 players from the 2009 U-20 winning team. The Black Stars got to the semifinals in 2012 and 2013 reached the finals 2015 and in 2017 they made it to the semifinals again. I am aware that winning the ultimate is paramount but the way some people have decided to champion the agenda of getting Nynatakyi out of office because Ghana failed to win the trophy in Gabon only signals personal hatred of the man and someone trying to feed on the emotions of Ghanaians to pursue his personal interest.
You are free to say I am celebrating mediocrity but compare the above achievement to our previous achievement before Nyantakyi ook over as the FA President. After we got to the finals in Senegal 92, the farthest we have gotten in terms of getting closer to the nations cup trophy is placing 4th in 1996 in South Africa. We got kicked out at the quarter finals in Tunisia 94, got eliminated in Burkina 98 at the group stage, got eliminated at the quarter final stage at Ghana/Nigeria 2000, failed to move past the quarter final stage in 2002 in Mali and could not qualify for Tunisia 2004.
So the records are there for all to see. Let those who have eyes see and read with open minds and not to chastise for someone’s selfish interest. Ghana football needs co-operation, support and continuity to get to the Promised Land. So what has Nyantakyi done wrong for Ghana Football? Is it a crime to qualify for all the major football tournaments since 2006 including three World Cup berths?
Ghana had never qualified for the Mundial since the World Cup was introduced in 1930 until African teams commenced participation in the tourney. However, the Kwesi’s administration has seen Ghana at all the three major World Cup tournaments from Germany 2006 through to South African 2010 and down to Brazil 2014.
So what is the crime of Kwesi Nyantakyi?
How suicidal has it been for Nyantakyi to get us to the World Cup for three consecutive times? For the records, after France qualified for the 1966 World Cup, they could not continue for the 1970 and 1974 editions. This means that, they could not make it three times consecutively. Again, in 1986, they qualified but could not follow it up with the 1990 and 1994 editions. So they could not make it again for the sake of making it consecutively.
Uruguay after qualifying for the 1974 edition could not make it to the 1978 and 1982 editions as well as missing out of the competition in 1994 and 1998 after appearing in the 1990 World Cup.
For my last European example, I will look at Belgium. After 1954, Belgium failed to qualify for the 1958, 1962 and 1966 editions. Three times absence consecutively. They also failed to make it in 1974 and 1978 after making it in 1970. And finally, after 2002, Belgium failed again for the 2006 and 2010 editions. But not the Black Stars. Ever since the Black Stars started qualifying for the World Cup in 2006, they have never failed to qualify, they are always represented. And I think the Nyantakyi led administration deserves commendation. So if u can’t clap for Nyantakyi, don’t crucify him.
… keep your appetite and brace up for the Part II.
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