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
Ever since you went out of my
life giving me my much needed but unwanted freedom, things have never been the
same again. I may not know what I want but I am sure that I don’t want peace of
mind. There has been a palpable air of calm around me which is killing me by
the minutes. 
Incidentally, I have also tried to move on from
where you left me, but sadly memories will not leave me. They follow me everywhere,
and I mean the ominous lurking bitch lingers everywhere I go and even lives
with me. You lied to me because you
asked me to believe you. You even asked me to believe in you. You became my
religion and literally made me worship you. You said we were always going to be
here. You even said forever and this; I can’t distinguish any further because
like I said, nothing makes sense anymore. All I know is both transcends into
time.
