A former member of the Black Stars Management Committee, Ernest Thompson, has warned against dissolving the Ghana Football Association (GFA) due to the senior national team's poor performance. Thompson, also a former board secretary of Accra Hearts of Oak, believes that meeting with GFA officials to resolve problems is a better approach. He made these comments in a radio interview on Joy FM after the Black Stars' 2-4 defeat to The Gambia in Accra. The loss left the Black Stars without a point from their opening two Group C qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
Thompson expressed concerns that dissolving the GFA could create further difficulties due to FIFA's governance rules. Instead, he suggested that the Sports Minister, Kofi Adams, should intervene, possibly with the involvement of Parliament's Committee on Youth and Sports. This would allow the parties to meet and establish the problems facing the GFA. Thompson recalled previous crisis meetings in Winneba and other occasions when external help was sought to resolve football issues. He emphasized that the GFA should acknowledge its challenges and seek assistance.
According to Thompson, the problems facing the Black Stars go beyond the pitch. He claimed that the Black Stars Management Committee was not involved in selecting the squad for the qualifiers. Some committee members reportedly told him that they had no involvement in the list and had "washed their hands off it." Thompson stated that normally, the committee would review proposed squads, question the coach, and involve the medical team before making a final decision.
Thompson also criticized the GFA's communication and financial management. He said that some officials were unclear about who should speak on behalf of the association. Additionally, he had seen a list of financial challenges facing the GFA. Thompson questioned how players could be called up and then withdraw, and who was responsible for issuing the list and conducting medical checks.
Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Nii Lante Vanderpuye, also participated in the discussion. He urged the Sports Minister to bring together people who had managed the GFA and the Black Stars Management Committee, including Thompson and Nana Butler, to diagnose the problems. Vanderpuye cautioned against tampering with the GFA, warning that if the committee and the GFA had no working relationship, it would be a crisis.
Vanderpuye emphasized that the lack of working relationship between the committee and the GFA became a problem when the committee could not question proposed players or ask about their medical records. Black Stars head coach Carlos Queiroz has accepted responsibility for the defeat and apologized to supporters. The team's poor performance has sparked concerns about the state of football in Ghana.
The Sports Minister, Kofi Adams, is expected to take steps to address the issues facing the GFA and the Black Stars. Thompson's comments and Vanderpuye's suggestions highlight the need for a collaborative approach to resolve the problems. The GFA's response to the crisis and the proposed interventions will be crucial in determining the future of Ghanaian football.
Key points
- Ex-Black Stars management committee member Ernest Thompson cautions against dissolving GFA.
- Thompson suggests meeting with GFA officials to resolve problems.
- Sports Minister Kofi Adams may intervene with Parliament's Committee on Youth and Sports.
