Ghana’s President to Meet Players in a Bid to Avoid Repeat of 1992 AFCON Mess

Since the African Cup of Nation (AFCON) competition began in 1957, Egypt have clinched the trophy 7 times, becoming the nation that has lifted the title the most.

Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon have lifted it 4 times and five times respectively, with Ivory Coast and Congo DR lifting it twice each. Algeria, Tunisia, Sudan, Morocco, Ethiopia, South Africa, Congo and Zambia have lifted it once each.

As all eyes wait to see which team will be lifting the trophy this season, Ghana have already begun preparing their house ready to rock teams this season and lift it for the fifth time.

How have they begun doing it?

The Black Stars have been hitting the headlines of late for both bad and good reasons.

Indeed, the appointment of Andre Dede Ayew as new captain of the Black Stars, a couple of days ago, brewed a pretty kettle of fish in the team, with then skipper Asamoah Gyan (now assigned a general captain’s role), quickly announcing his retirement.

Gyan has captained the Stars in the last seven years or so, taking the team to the last two Nations Cup tournaments.

Opinions were, therefore, pleasurably divided over Gyan’s retreat. He was condemned, but others lauded his decision and rather took the coach – Kwesi Appiah, to the cleaners for trying to rock an unruffled boat ahead of a Nations Cup Ghana has been chasing to win for the fifth time since the 1982 unprecedented feat in Libya.

However, Ghana’s president Nana Akufo-Addo intervened and brought calm back in the team. After the reconciliation talks, it was agreed that Andre Ayew will be the skipper and Asamoah Gyan was assigned as the general captain. In fact, Gyan went ahead and pledged his allegiance to the new captain Ayew.

Though Gyan made a reversal from his earlier retirement decision, many Ghanaians still feel that all is well.

Perhaps they fear the repeat of 1992 Nations Cup imbroglio in Senegal where factionalism – as a result of captaincy – tore the team’s aspirations into tatters.

President Nana Akuffo’s urgent meeting with players

It is for this saturnine backdrop that President Nana Akufo-Addo’s meeting with players and officials of the team on Friday is of monumental significance.

Without any shred of doubt, the President will be expected to hammer on team unity and make it very plain to the players that Ghana is bigger than all of them! Indeed, they would be told to bury their ‘bloated’ egos and differences, and put the nation first.

Of course, the seeming tension between big brother Gyan and his junior Andre Ayew would not be put on the back burner, at all.

Power sharing in the field between different players will be the beginning of the fall of Black Stars in the AFCON competition.

The two influential players actually carry the heart of Ghana and should they mess around, the nation is going to sink into the depths.

Few lessons the duo should know

The nation is bigger than them. Again, it is the nation that made them rose to stardom and exposed them to the world. Therefore, they need to pay back the poor Ghanaians who have stood with them in times of bad and good.

Failures of head coach Kwesi Appiah

The head coach has proven to be weak and unable to bring heads together. He has lost control of the club and cannot discipline players who have shown gross misconduct in the club. Allowing power sharing in the field is not the smartest way to go!

Team spirit must necessarily be high and jealously guarded – and that is what Kwesi must endeavour to do as the manager.

Notably, when Ghana won its fourth AFCON title, Cameroon had not lifted any. Surprisingly, the Indomitable Lions have surpassed Ghana and lifted it five times and will be heading to the competition as defending champions.

Image result for cameroon lift trophy

President Nana Akuffo-Addo should, therefore, do everything possible to ensure that the past mistakes are not repeated. This may be their best chance to lift the AFCON title and be at per with Cameroon.

 

 

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