Ghana’s fate in the football world

Over the years, two questions at least, linger in the minds of Ghanaian football lovers anytime the international governing body of their favourite game, FIFA, release the FIFA/Coca Cola World football ranking.

These questions obviously are; what position was Ghana placed and where will She be in the next ranking.

Ghana’s ranking over the past 11yrs has been like a seesaw. At a point, the country is ranked so high that football fanatics begin to feel complacent. And another point, the country is ranked so low that everyone – the press, FA , football lovers and sometimes the government -tries to identify the cause for the low ranking and suggest possible solutions.

In 2000, out of the 203 countries that were ranked, Ghana was in the 57th position, a position that raised eyebrows all over the country. As usual, tongues came lashing at the coach and officials of the Ghana Football Association (GFA). The GFA led by Alhaji M. N. D. Jawula promised football funs that he together with his outfit were going to work hard to move Ghana up from its 57th position.

Ghana fell two places back in 2001,but the 59th position was not the end of the fall. In 2002, the ranking moved from 59 to 61 then to 78 in 2003.

The FA, now led by Dr N. Nyaho-Tamakloe together with the players and technical team of the Black Stars managed to move a step up in 2004. FIFA ranked Ghana 77 in the world. It didn’t stop, in 2005, there was a tremendous rise. The Black Stars led by Captain Stephen ‘Tornedo’ Appiah managed to move 22 places up to the 50th position.

In 2006, Ghana managed to qualify for the first time to the World Cup which was to be held in Germany and also for the African Cup of Nations tournament which was also held in Egypt. Unfortunately, the Black Stars failed make it out of the group stages.

But its FA’s new boss Kwesi Nyantakyi promised to raise the flag of Ghana high at the World Cup. And so he – Kwesi Nyantakyi- together the entire team fulfilled a prophecy that was long foretold by Cameron’s Roger Milla at the Italia 1990 that the best was yet to come and the world should wait for the Black Stars of Ghana at the World Cup.

Ghana qualified from the group stages and got kicked out by Brazil in the round 16 stage. The ranking for that year was marvellous, Ghana moved up to the 22 places to the 28th position.

Unfortunately, the ranking fell to 48 in 2007, rose to 25 in 2008 and dropped to 34 in 2009. But after a spectacular run at the African Cup of Nations in 2010, the Stars made it to the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup which earned Ghana 16th position in the ranking.

The FIFA rankings have been released three times this year .in the January, Ghana was still ranked 16, in April, it was 15 [the highest the country had ever seen]. In the middle of the year, the ranking dropped to 33.

Football fanatics over the world are wondering what the fate of Ghana is going to be like in the future.

Read More

What is wrong if Mills commissions KVIPs or bore-holes?

As part of the ‘action year’ plan of the current government, President J.E.A. Mills has been commissioning classrooms, road projects, and dormitories among others in some regions.

On the other hand, the opposition party, the NPP has been criticising the NDC that “the President is going round his national tour commissioning bore holes.”

Speaking on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo program, the Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper Kwesi Pratt Jnr noted that there is nothing wrong if the president commissions bore holes and KVIPs.

“What is wrong if Mills is commissioning boreholes?” Mr Pratt questioned.

“If you are staying in Maamobi and you take a drug for your running stomach, you wake up in the morning and go to the public toilet you meet a long queue, you will know the benefit of commissioning a KVIP”, he said.

He added, “on the other hand, if you are staying in a village where water does not flow through the pipes and you go to the stream to fetch water and realise cows and goats are also drinking from the stream, then you will understand.”

He said the people who leave in the areas where the bore holes and KVIPs were commissioned, count it great joy because they know how important those things are in their lives.

Read More

NPP Commentators are suffering from Selective Unfairness

The editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr has stated that some commentators of the opposition NPP are suffering from what he terms ‘Selective Unfairness’.

He said, “some of these commentators from the NPP complain a lot claiming that their flagbearer has been insulted and they take issues with newspapers which try to remain independent or those which are on the side of the NDC.”

He stated that we should all be worried about the spate of insults and heckling in the media adding, “I think it is important for us to condemn all such incidences and not be selective.”

Mr Pratt recalled how a member of the NDC spent valuable airtime focussing on the height of Nana Akuffo Addo. “What has the height of a presidential candidate got to do with finding solution to the social, economic, political and cultural problems that confront our people? Yet we spend valuable airtime on such discussions,” he noted.

Mr Pratt with permission from the show host read out an editorial from June 15th edition of Daily Guide titled “Government’s Hypocrisy”. The editorial termed how government decided not to get involved with the Ga state chieftaincy issues as ‘Nonsense and an act of Hypocrisy’.

It further read that “……we do not welcome this waywardness from a government which virtually begged to come into power”.

Addressing Owula E.T Mangotey’s statement that NPP’s flagbearer Nana Akuffo Addo makes more sense when he is quiet, Mr Pratt said since Mr Mangotey is a citizen, he is entitled to his views.

“As long as there is no infraction of the law, for as long as he speaks within the boundaries of decency, Mr Mangotey’s views will continue to remain his views,” Mr Pratt added

“Masa, the man stated emphatically on this very program that faithful day that he was not a member of the NDC therefore his views are not attributable to the NDC, this is a point I think we should all respect.”

Read More

Ghana defeats Congo by 3-1 to stay on top

The Black Stars led by John Mensah, today demolished the Congolese team by 3 goals to 1 at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi. The team maintained their place at the top of Group I of the African Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The Ghanaian side was not able to settle for the match in the first half of the game.

After a useless tackle from Congo’s Pablo Makita -who brought down Black Stars’ Kwadwo Asamoah- , the referee issued him a red card which sent him off the pitch.

After the redcard Black Stars gained a lot of possession in the midfield.

Isaac Vorsah’s powerful header in the 62nd minute put the Black Stars in the lead. Before the Congolese could regroup, Prince Tagoe, known to his fans as Prince of Goals put the ball at the back of the Congolese net.

A rather careless manoeuvre from Ghanaian goalkeeper Richard Kingson ended with the ball behind the Ghanaian net. The Stadium became quite not because the fans were scared but because they did not expect experience goalkeeper Kingson to commit such an error.

After taking on two defenders, Black Stars’ Agyemang Badu landed a powerful strike in the net of the Congolese to seal the deal at 3 goals to 1. The victory sent beams of smiles to the face of Black Stars Coach Goran Stevanovic who had earlier promised Ghanaians that he was going to win the African Cup of Nations with the Black Stars.

Read More

Spio-Garbrah bows out of NDC’s flag bearership race

Dr Ekow Spio-Garbrah after taking the bold step to join former first lady Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, to contest the sitting President John Evan Atta Mills in the flag bearership position of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has withdrawn from the race.

The shocking revelation about the withdrawal was made at the party headquarters by his spokesperson Mohammed Nasiro on June 1 , the day Mrs Rawlings also submitted her nomination forms.

The editor of the Daily dispatch newspaper Mr Ben Ephson, earlier predicted that Dr Garbrah was going to withdraw from the race . But spokesperson for Dr. Gabrah,Mr Nasiro, says the withdrawal was as a result of harassment on the part of some delegates in the party.

Dr Spio Gabrah is expected to formally issue a release addressing Ghanaians on why he withdrew from the race.

Read More

I love martial art- Majid declares

“Growing up, I studied Martial Art because I realised it was the only sport I was good at. When I started, I trained so hard that I killed my shin cell so if anyone tries to kick me in the shin, I’m sure he will get hurt and I’ll just be staring at him.” This was how ace Ghanaian Actor, Majid Michel described himself on Joy FM ‘Drive Time’ programme.

Majid revealed that when he was young, he was not fond of school but one thing he enjoyed was to train hard so he could become good at Martial Arts and that his favourite sport was “Kung fu”.

The ‘Heart of Men’ star said back in the day at Mfantsipim school, “during one of our Physical Education (PE) lessons, we were asked to do push ups. Some people did 25, others did 30 but the teacher and the rest of the class were surprised when I did a straight 80.”

“Everyone started to see me as a tough dude and when they asked me how I did it, I told them it was all about constant training,” he said.

Majid added that he still trains in Martial Art because he has to keep in shape. He refused to talk about football but when he was pushed to the wall, he noted that; “if I’m asked to choose two footballers I like, I’ll choose Manchester United Ryan Giggs and Ronaldinho because those two players are good at what they do.”

Majid began his acting career when he got a role as “Shaker” in the theatrically successful TV series ‘Things We Do for Love.’ Following his success, he made a smooth transition to the big screen when he appeared in his first movie “Divine Love,” alongside Jackie Appiah, and Van Vicker.

He has since starred in a lot of Ghanaian and Nigerian movies such as; Silent Scandal, Crime to Christ, Agony of the Christ, 4 Play Reload among others.

Read More