Sports
Black Stars, a team in crisis

• GFA President, Kurt Okraku and sacked Black Stars coach, Chris Hughton have been criticised in several quarters for the Stars woeful performance
Against Egypt in the second game, the script was similar to what was enacted against Gabon in the previous edition. This time, the Black Stars aided the Pharaohs to stay relevant in the tournament after unpardonable errors cancelled out Kudus Mohammed’s effort.
That put us in a very difficult situation; needing to beat a less fancied Mozambiquan Mambas.
Once again, the gods of football listened to our players and awarded the Black Stars two penalties which were expertly converted by Jordan Ayew.
But late in the game, the new Black Stars’ spirit of disappointment was invoked and the goals started raining for the Mambas who bit with precision to render the Black Stars numbed and traumatised.
When everything pointed to a win at last, second-half substitute and skipper, Andre Ayew accidentally handled the ball in the goal area, an incident the match referee with an eagle eye for such infringements, noted very fast and pointed to the spot.
The resultant kick provided a way back into the game for the Mambas who pressed further, perchance knowing that these were not the calibre of Ghanaian players their great grandfathers feared.
Indeed, the efforts were rewarded by a disorganised Ghana goalkeeper, Richard Ofori, whose decision can best be explained by himself.
From a resultant corner kick, Atletico Madrid defender, Renildo headed an important equalizer to also earn their second point from the tournament as they head home as warriors, having drawn with African warriors on paper, Egypt and Ghana.
The latest displeasure and heartbreak have hit Ghanaian fans so hard and could make the fans return to the stands a very tough decision to take.
Considering what the players put up on the field of play, sincerely, it will be difficult to insinuate they were not committed to the team’s course.
From the coaches, players, administrators and whoever played a role, the ambition from the day one has been to win the trophy to return to the AFCON honours list.
I have not come across a coach and set of players that would be prepared for a competition of such magnitude and would intentionally blow that opportunity. It is the reason Jordan Ayew’s claim that the team was fully committed is acceptable.
Maybe, what we lacked was the quality to drive the team forward no matter the size of the opposition to grind out the result.
In the game against Cape Verde, It was obvious the team struggled as the three departments – defence, midfield and attack. We had a defence that was always stretched; a midfield that failed to create chances for the attackers who could not record enough touches in the opposition goal area.
Football is team work so it is usually not proper to single out a particular player for praise but it is also almost impossible not to write about the impact of Kudus Mohammed on the second game.
By Andrew Nortey
Sports
We look forward to working closely with you for sports development …NSA staff tells Kofi Adams

The Staff of the National Sports Authority (NSA) says they are ready to work closely with Mr Kofi Iddie Adams, Minister for Sports and Recreation.
The staff, in a statement, congratulated Mr Adams for a successful vetting process following his appointment by President John Dramani Mahama.
“Your leadership comes at a crucial time when the image and leadership of the NSA is at its lowest ebb in the eyes of the general public, and we are confident that your vision and commitment will bring remarkable progress to the NSA in particular and the sports sector in general.
As key stakeholders in the administration and development of sports, we look forward to working closely with you to advance policies and initiatives that will uplift sports and recreation in our nation.
We trust that under your stewardship, the NSA, which is the technical wing of the Ministry and thus clothed with the responsibility and mandate to implement sports policies and programmes of the Ministry, will enjoy empowerment through impartial resource allocation, capacity building, human and infrastructure capacity development, as well as constant engagement and consultations regarding sports and all related matters,” the statement said.
The NSA staff also assured the Sports and Recreation Minister of their full support and commitment as they strive to achieve sports excellence. –GNA
Sports
GFA, police must bite harder

If there is a particular group of sports fans expected to learn bitter lessons from hooliganism associated with football, then that must certainly be Ghanaian football fans.
On May 9, 2001, Ghana was hit hardest by what has come to be known as the May 9 football disaster where a total of 126 football fans lost their lives on a chilling evening.
These fans had gone to the Accra Sports Stadium to watch Ghana’s version of the ‘el clasico’ involving Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko.
However, a referee’s decision that didn’t go well with a section of the fans sparked trouble at the Osu Cemetery end of the stands, resulting in police intervention which went in excess.
Eventually, that huge number of football fans with families and several responsibilities perished, leave that dent on the nation’s sports calendar which is observed every year with a wreath-laying ceremony.
Twenty-four years down the line, events on the football scene suggests that a section of football fans have learnt no lesson from the incident despite the many calls each year to nib that practice in the bud.
Fans continue to misbehave at match venues and take the law into their own hands by causing damage to properties.
Tomorrow is exactly a week when another infamous incident occurred at the Nsoatreman Stadium where the home team, Nsoatreman FC defeated Asante Kotoko by 1-0.
It did not come anywhere near the 2001 incident though, but happenings on the field that led to the death of a Kotoko fan was bad enough to plunge the football fraternity into a sombre mood.
Guided by that history, one would have expected the fans to exercise restraint irrespective of the provocation since there are sanctions to deal with offenders.
Eventually, a husband, father, uncle and many others was murdered in cold blood.
It brings to the fore the challenging circumstances under which football is played in Ghana with security being one of the major headaches.
Reports from some sections have revealed close to 150 police personnel were expected for the match but on the match day, the security presence was nothing to write home about.
And, apart from the Accra, Kumasi, Tamale, Cape Coast and Essipun Stadia in the Western region, there are no other facilities good enough to ensure a proper security arrangement.
Most of these venues are fenced with wire mesh which can cave in when fans go on a rampage or under the least pressure.
As if that is not enough, some of these security personnel watch unconcerned when some of these violent acts go on.
As a result, every life in the stadium is endangered when pandemonium breaks out. With such danger looming, football becomes unattractive to many.
Sadly, the FA’s Club Licensing Board have gone ahead to approve some of these venues to host matches.
And with some particular venues gaining notoriety for such incidents, perhaps, this should force the FA to crack the whip.
But since no sanction can be equated to the life lost, it was time the FA employ new mechanisms to make the league very safe for fans.
In Ethiopia and other countries, the leagues are played in a little over three safe and secured venues which practically served as home or away venues for the clubs; even if they are not the original venues.
What this requires is that on match days, games would be divided into two or three groups and shared to the number of venues available.
As is done in Ghana already, match day games can start on Fridays and end on Mondays. In this situation, there would be maximum security to forestall any fans trouble, seeing the numbers of personnel around.
It is surely one of the ways to curb hooliganism which is gradually making the game in Ghana very unattractive and unpopular.
Moreover, it is sad the FA has been hanged and crucified in this manner for a decision of a few football fans to misbehave to put the image of the game in opprobrium.
Being the organisers of the game, the FA cannot escape blame because some concerns about lack of adequate security at venues have not been attended to wholly, apart from the closure for a few days.
Football may be on an indefinite break for now but when it returns, the focus should be on the clubs without secured venues because there are always the trouble grounds.
For those to be identified in the entire brawl, this must be the time for the FA to prove that it has the teeth to bite.
By Andrew Nortey