Black Stars to be dissolved

To whom it may Concern...

The Black stars have finally ended their 2014 world cup campaign in far away Brazil and are rumored to have nicodemously sneaked into town minus two players who were relieved of their duty just some hours before their historic and dramatic defeat to the Portugal team. We all saw how they fared at the Mundial and have also come to realize that our fortunes as a footballing Country has further dwindled from a one goal project to a one point project.

Events leading to their early exit cannot be overly stressed because we all know the mockery they have exposed us to from the foreign media and anyone to whom it concerns. But going forward, it is imperative to put the various happenings into perspective in a bid to averting some of them in the near future hence this piece.

Sadly though, but I must say that it was a gamble making Dr. Kwasi Appiah the Manager of the Black Stars because until now he has not brought anything new to the team and if you think I am just being cynical, then kindly indulge me on his achievements . This is rightfully so because those who spoke for his consideration did not even articulate his credentials and related exploits as a Manager, but rather their argument was based on the fact that he was a Ghanaian and should be given the job as though we were forming a National Assembly where the prerequisite of being a Ghanaian qualifies you automatically. No, we want someone who has a proven track record to deliver even if he is an Eskimo - one of the very reasons his predecessor Milovan Rajevac was sacked. 

The plain truth is, the Manager is tactically incompetent and lacks the creative mind for contingencies. Aside his mis-man-agement and lack of leadership, he does not prove his resilience in the face of odds and also fails to be creative when the odds change. He is mostly at a lost and only seems to be running on luck. However, it is important to note without mincing words that, some things can be discovered on one’s own accord on the job while some of them must be taught - simply because it’s a Science. They follow a rigorous routine such that any haphazard approach cannot get you results.

A case in point is the Ghana – USA match where the Coach applied his voodoo tactics, which he

even confirmed in his post match interview. He said he was waiting for his opponents to get tired before he unleash his winning strategy which included some of the changes he effected. And for a handler to say he was waiting for his opponents to get tired before bringing on some of his best marksmen means he lacked purpose. How well do you know your opponents to count on their strengths instead of counting on yours? This is the world cup and you play to win right from the get go.

A Coach worth his salt should make effective changes that would see a switch in play. For instance, you don’t necessarily bring on an 8 simply because you changed an 8. Sometimes, you bring on another 10 to strengthen the 10 you already have thus creating a vacuum at the 8, meaning a new style has been adopted. But instead, it appeared Dr. Appiah was only making changes for the purposes of replacing his men just to satisfy the 3-man changes FIFA allows in a Football match. 

Then, there was the issue of Indiscipline in the camp where the players protested not to train and other events which ended up in players and Management having a fisticuff. What could ever go wrong in a camp that was supposed to be filled with oneness of purpose, esprit de corps and conviviality? Have you also noticed that disciplinary issues have clouted the Dr’s stewardship since day one? Clearly, somebody has failed his part of the bargain which led to the expulsion of the two key players the Black Stars have had in recent times and I am convinced beyond doubt that Sulley Muntari and K.P. Boateng were just used as collateral damages. Yes! And in its worse terms, scapegoats! 

I have always maintained that for the purposes of winning, competence should paramount as long as everybody is playing their roles effectively, which in turn erodes situations of (in)discipline. I do not think that Managers just by virtue of their positions are the repository of knowledge and should not be questioned for further clarifications in instances where a subordinate is not at ease. That way, we would be building demigods and self-acclaimed gangsters who would lead us into ditches simply because their words are law. A decree that needs no further questioning.

But, granted there was gross indiscipline which warrants their expulsion, by now, we all can attest to the fact that the timing was wrong even though the diehards and aficionados still think it was necessary. It is not prudent for a Management to send off two key players from their squad just some few hours to a must-win match and still expects to win. They might have underrated their opponents which will be sadder because no good sportsman does that. It is not about the fact that they couldn’t play without them but about the fact that they were disintegrating the rest of the team. They divided the house against each other and killed team spirit in the Process. They demoralized a whole team by stamping their authority at the wrong time due to lack of knowledge and rightfully so because a little knowledge of Jurisprudence by these management members who thought it wise to sack these two players just some hours before a battle, would have given them insight into the fact that Justice delayed is not justice denied. 

Now, their ego has come in the way. Their need to be respected has denied us of the historic feat and has denied the rest of the 25 million and counting Ghanaians scattered all over the world the kind of joy we derive when we win.

 

There was also the issue of the Black Stars holding us to ransom, claiming to be paid their appearance fees before they train which did not sit well with all Ghanaians home and abroad. The FA for whatever reasons delayed payment to the Black Stars even though our tax monies have long been deducted at source for such purposes, but, we would have thought that the Black Stars were at the world cup out of patriotism and to exhibit themselves as one of the players to celebrate at the biggest Football event. They have made us aware of their intent and all we can do as a nation which has to be taken serious is to dissolve the team and raise the bar. If we can pay them this much of the tax payer’s money to lose, then we must look out for cheap players to do that honorably and still save us some money for the provision of potable water, eradicating Schools under Mango trees, building homes for the aged, researching into better and vibrant educational curricula and what have you.

The players also lacked purpose. They made it very glaring to all and sundry that they were about the money and not the competition. It was also interesting to note that, they were not about the wins but fact that they have appeared at the Mundial, hence their readiness to give up everything at stake for the appearance fees. Deductively, it means they had even forgotten that it was about Ghana and not just about their personal gains. Clearly, they sacrificed the objectives of Corporate Ghana at the expense of their selfish ends and should go now!

It is however sad to note on the other side that, for the Black Stars to demand the monies due them before any further national assignment also means that there have been exploits in the past and they were not willing to take chances. Thanks to the expose, this Management must be investigated and if found culpable, let’s overhaul or dissolve it altogether. Just as shareholders do not retain non-performing Board members, we have to become businesslike as a nation to sack members and Officials of the FA because they have been non-performing. It is time to show us something for all the monies paid to fund their activities all these years.

I do not even want to delve into the kind of arrangements that saw a $3.5million airlifted via a chartered flight to the Players in Brazil, a clear indication that the government can and may have been engaged in airlifting cash out of the Country. That is more political and would be discussed on a different day at a different time.

Last but not the least why we as citizens should clamor for the dissolution of the Black Stars; first from the Ghana Football Association, is the match fixing scandal involving the President of the FA, Mr. Kwasi Nyantakyi. We can’t afford to have an FA who is willing to fix matches when they should be pushing and working hard on winning on merits. It is even convenient to say that the timing of the release of the footage also casted a psychological slur on the players which eventually affected their team spirit and work output. 

And to this end, if the Management can sack two players even when their presence was crucial to the team’s progress in the ongoing World Cup, then sorry to burst their bubbles, they have all exhibited one form or the other of indiscipline and must all go now!

Nuff Said!

Disappointed Ghanaian Fans.

the writer tweets @vilejah