Open letter to Prez. Akufo-Addo: Recommend Black Stars’ dissolution; probe team, management

Open Letter to Prez. Akufo-Addo: Recommend Black Stars’ dissolution; probe team, management

Dear Sir,

I hope this letter finds you well, even in the midst of last night’s terrible show by our Black Stars.

For several consecutive seasons, they have put down the soul of the nation, sometimes causing needless health-related issues for its citizens and, in a few cases, death. Oh yes, death.

For a section of the football department of our sport that has in recent years attracted unusually enormous budgetary allocation and other monetary benefits yet persistently fails to yield any meaningful returns, something must be fundamentally wrong.

Just last night, the senior national soccer team capped yet another resounding bouquet of abysmal performances at the ongoing 2023 AFCON, potentially racing out of the first stage of the competition—not the first occasion in recent years.

Over time, we have tried to patch up solutions to the ailing fortunes of our beloved Stars, including changing coaches and technical teams, scouting for additional players to bolster the squad, and superficially attempting to whip up support for and interest in the team, but these have not brought about an inch of progress.

And so it’s time to take the bull by the horn.

There is a need for a halt to the entire Black Stars structure. From management to the technical department to the playing body, an independent committee conducts a 360° trend assessment of the team over the last 15 years.

Specifically, the playing body has to be disbanded, the technical department, including the coach, should be terminated, and the management team must step down.

This committee should probe matters such as player selection, coach selection, player motivation and remuneration, and the general inside and outside game management of the Black Stars.

Allegations of player imposition by executives on coaches, bribery, and lack of unity and common purpose among the playing body should also thoroughly come under scrutiny.

The committee must also make recommendations for the team going forward. In my opinion, the recommendations should address local football development and talent management, the effective and efficient management structure of the Black Stars, facility development, a bespoke arrangement for the selection of coaches, and the funding and financing of the team.

Losses are part of football, but the current architecture of the Black Stars leaves more room for humiliating and shambolic performances.

If care is not taken, public interest in the team will dip further and faster to an all-time low, affecting the morale and psyche of the playing squad.

Until such deep reflection and inquiry is conducted into the ‘operations’ of the Black Stars, we can only expect continuous years of heartbreaking deliverables, not to mention the potential financial wastages.

I glean that this move to dissolve and probe the Black Stars, including its management, may trigger some sanctions by both the African and world football governing authorities, but properly managed communication and permission from them to conduct this exercise in the collective interest of the country should cater for such fears.

Together, we can relaunch our Black Stars into the skies once again.

I hope this request will be kindly considered.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

A concerned citizen