Former Black Stars defender, John Paintsil, has pointed to a lack of unity within the national team as a key factor behind Ghana's disappointing Africa Cup of Nations campaign.

Speaking on UTV's United Showbiz, Paintsil expressed his views on the team's underwhelming performance in Ivory Coast, where they failed to secure a single victory, exiting the tournament at the group stage for the second consecutive time.

Paintsil believes that while the players faced some unfortunate circumstances, the overall lack of leadership qualities within the team contributed to their struggles.

"The players were unlucky," he remarked, "But we also lacked leadership quality."

The former defender emphasized that leadership starts from the top, highlighting the responsibility of both the technical team and the players themselves to foster a cohesive and united environment.

"When you are working with such players," he noted, "you have to stand up with your game."

Paintsil went on to lament the absence of unity among the players, citing a reliance on individual brilliance rather than collective teamwork.

"The boys were not united," he observed. "There was so much individual brilliance and they did not play as a team."

Reflecting on Ghana's past successes, Paintsil recalled a time when unity and mutual respect were foundational to the team's strength. "During our time," he reminisced, "we could predict the scoreline before the game. There was respect and unity in our team."

Paintsil emphasized the importance of accountability, urging the current generation of players to take responsibility for their performance and work towards fostering a stronger sense of unity and teamwork within the Black Stars.