I am afraid all signals show Ghana football is sinking gradually. If the nation is found wanting in even age group tournaments, then you realise the future is gloomy indeed.
For the four decades that the Black Stars have failed to win any continental silverware we have taken consolation from the exploits of the juniors but what we see now is an unimpressive show by the over hyped Afriyie Barnier and his compatriots.
It is plain common sense that you need careful planning in any field of endeavour to succeed, competitive sports not exempted.
This is nothing new. Ghana has done it before resulting in huge successes all over a long period. Instead of building progressive structures, we seem to be interested in administrative niceties and cunningly trying to reap where we have not sown.
The popular and workable strategy adopted in the past where the less patronised sports disciplines were aggressively developed on the wings of football is no more. The snag is football itself has unhealthy wings to fly to any appreciable heights. It is therefore incapable of offering any tangible support.
Let’s get it straight. Football is always on focus because it is arguably the national pastime. As a top priority, I sincerely suggest colts football must be revived doubly quick. The government’s brilliant action plan in providing astro turfs nationwide, should definitely help boost colts football.
Next is schools and colleges sports. Then also the need to recruit and train coaches for the various sports disciplines with football topping the list. The National Sports Authority must set the ball rolling.
Interested individuals, companies and institutions must be encouraged to set up academies and not be discouraged like was done to WAFA and Ashgold.
There is a whole Ministry for sports and a National Sports Authority to boot but they appear to lack the ability to galvanise the populace into action.
It is difficult to avoid the temptation of recalling the Kutu Acheampong days in the 70s when sports was put on a really high pedestal. Without debating the merits or demerits of the Head of State being in charge of sports, the going was comparatively good for the country. For example, a National Boxing Syndicate was set up headed by boxing addict Justice D. F. Annan that produced the nation’s first World Boxing Champion D. K Poison in 1975. Three years later the Black Stars won the original Afcon Cup for keeps.
The momentum was maintained for some time by the Rawlings administration when he seized power in 1981. The Black Stars won the new Afcon Cup
In Libya 1982, Asante Kotoko followed suit with CAF champions league cup in 1983. It took eight years before the Black Starlets won the World Cup in 1991. The following year, Black Meteors won Olympic bronze at the Barcelona Games. The Starlets were World champs again in Ecuador 1997. The last football honour of repute was won by the Black Satellites in 2010 in Egypt.
All this did not happen by chance. There have been hard working men like Lt Col Simpe Asante, Orleans Pobee, Major John Addai, Amarkai Amarteifio, Ato Austin, E. T. Mensah Kwame Saarah Mensah, Alhaji Rashid, Papa Ankomah, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Kwadwo Baah Wiredu, Asiamah and Co who made their presence felt when in office.
We don’t seem to feel the presence of the Ministry of Sports and the National Sports Authority, two major institutions with fully paid staff charged with
the promotion of sports in the country, an assignment that has a lot of political implications. You ladies and gentlemen over there would have to buck up please.
The clock is ticking fast. The next African Games in Accra is just around the corner.
May I please continue with the profiles of Asante Kotoko squad 1982 and Hearts 1985 squad
Asante Kotoko
ABDUL KARIMU ZITO
This devout Muslim is someone who believes the game must be played the Brazilian way-cool less
body tackling and allowing the ball to do the running.
Born at Nsawam on Oct 5 1959, Zito took to active football after completing his Elementary school education at the Nsawam Roman Catholic School in 1976.
He played firstly for Nsawam based GIHOC Stars and Volta Juantex before joining Kotoko in 1980. He is an electrician by profession. His father Malam Shitu, a mason and Madam Hanatu is a trader.
Zito is married to Hanawu Awudu and they have two kids, Nuru Mohammed and Abdul-Razak.
He is determined to play for the national team like his local idol Opoku Nti.
Green Eagles strongman Muda Lawal is Zito’s favourite player abroad.
Kotoko’s 2-0 revenge victory over Semassi of Togo in Kumasi last April stands out as a memorable event in his career and the 2-0 defeat by Great Olympics the saddest.
JOE GYEKYE
Joe Gyekye, this tall, cool defender was the former pillar of Kumasi Cornerstone when he caught the eyes of the Kotoko scouting team in 1979.
He is very good in the air but his gentle way of tackling has always landed him in trouble with fast wingers.
A motor mechanic by profession Gyekye was born at Obuasi on Sept 9 1956 to Opanin Asomanin Ababio a farmer and Afua Bronya a trader.
After completing his Middle School education, Gyekye signed for Kumasi Cornerstone in 1976.
He is married to Emelia Barnes a trader and they have two kids, Edith and Edward.
His hobbies are reading and swimming.
Gyekye, whose target is to play for the national team, makes Francis Kumi his favourite player in Ghana and Brazilian Pele is his idol abroad.
Kotoko’s recent victory over Invincibles of
Liberia stands out as the happiest moment in his career and the 2-0 -defeat by Great Olympics early in this year’s league is his saddest.
HEARTS Of OAK
Karimu Alhassan
This strong running forward player is full of promise but he is yet to realise his full potentialities. Forceful Alhassan lacks skilful ball control and he also takes too much effort to hit the net, but if he is able to polish his ball technique he will really be a fearful striker.
Karimu Alhassan was born in Accra on March 3 1962 to Alhaji Karimu, a driver and Zuberatu Alhassan, a petty trader. He took inspiration from Abeka Ankrah to become a footballer and now his idol is Mohammed Polo.
Brazilian star Falcao is his favourite player abroad.
Alhassan’s favourite team abroad is Liverpool and Zebi is his other pet team locally. World featherweight boxing champion Azumah Nelson is one other sportsman he most admires.
Hearts 2-0 victory over Kotoko in the first round of the current league is Alhassan’s most memorable event. His biggest disappointment was when the Black Meteors were beaten in Dakar in 1983.
A devout Muslim the one person in the world Alhassan would like to meet is King Fahd of Saudi Arabia. His favourite newspapers are Daily Graphic and Star Soccer.
SAMUEL QUARM
Samuel Quarm recruited from Sekondi Hasaacas this season, the 21-year-old goalkeeper is full of
promise. Even though he had been completely overshadowed by Owusu Mensah and Andrews Quansah, he has shown in training that given the chance he could really hit the top.
Quarm was born on 17th Nov 1963 at Cape Coast to Mr William Quarm of the State Insurance Corporation and Madam Esi Kakraba a trader.
Little Sammy was attracted to football at an early age and it was the late Robert Mensah who inspired him to take to goalkeeping.
His current best player is Joseph Carr and Michel Platini of France is his idol abroad. The other sportsman he most admires is American super star athlete Carl Lewis.
Soft spoken Quarm favourite dish is rice. Off the field he likes music and films. He recalls the 1982 FA Cup final between Sekondi Eleven Wise and local rivals Hasaacas as the biggest disappointment in his career. Hasaacas lost one nil and he was in the post for Hasaacas.
Siaka Stevens Stadium in Freetown, Sierra Leone is the best stadium Quarm has played in.
Pele of Brazil is one person in the world Quarm would like to meet.
Cheers everybody and keep loving sports.
