Why the Ghana national team must seek advice from great ex-footballers

There is a short video which has gone viral on the internet mocking the Ghana national football team that in the past twenty-two years, the team takes part in every tournament but they have never won a single cup, not even a disposable cup.

Probably many Ghanaian footballers may find the video very annoying but it is a true fact. Ghanaian footballers playing in foreign teams do very well but when they meet together in international activities, they always fail the Ghanaian nation.

Ghana has the best footballers if not many wouldn’t be assigned to play for international football teams. For example, there are many Ghanaian footballers playing for Belgian clubs. These professional black footballers have changed the landmark in Belgian football, giving Ghana the recognition it deserves as a great football nation.

However, when it comes to international tournaments Ghanaians always disappoint those at home. The Ghana Black Stars, in the past, had the best footballers, such as Baba Yara, Aggrey Fynn, Osei Kofi, Mfum, C. K. Gyamfi, Edward Acquah, etc.

There wasn’t enough money in football at that time, yet they sacrificed their lives to play active selfless soccer to put Ghana on top of Africa, giving international recognition to the country.

Therefore, if we have to find the reasons for the failure in Ghana football today, we have to attribute them to corruption in football, pride and the chase after money. To the present-day African footballers, money first and football is second.

Ghanaian footballers playing international clubs firstly are rich and secondly, too much pride is destroying them. Each one thinks he is better than someone, thus; there is no humbleness, and where pride rules, the result is always disastrous because there is no unification.

Sport is one of the greatest entertainments but in Africa, apart from football, Africans don’t stand the chance to compete against other blacks in international athletics.

The African-Americans sweep all the medals, leaving nothing for the African athletes, with the exception of the long-distance runners. The greatest champions of endurance races are all from very precise states in Africa, Kenya, and Ethiopia.

In fact, in the last twenty-five years, black athletes, African-Americans, and Jamaicans have conquered virtually every 100 meters and 200 meters, while in almost all distance or endurance races - 1500 meters, 3000 meters, 5000 meters, 10000 meters, and marathon, it is always an African who wins.

I don’t think Ghana football is dead after the FIFA issued a life ban for the former football boss, Kwesi Nyantakyi or it affected athletics too in the country. Ghana will definitely excel in football if the national team put pride behind them.

Another important factor which can help the present generation Ghanaian footballers is to seek advice from some of the past great living legends, such as Osei Kofi, who is now a Reverend, if I am right. These soccer elders will give them ample beneficial advice to enhance their performance in the fields of football.

The present Ghanaian national team has its own qualities too which can make Ghana proud once again.

-By Joel Savage