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Fans express shock at FA’s appointment of Stars technical team

A section of Ghanaian football fans have questioned the criteria and factors considered in the appointment of the new technical team for the Black Stars ahead of the crunch FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Super Eagles of Nigeria on March 23.

In their estimation, the FA had it wrong putting together ‘top notch’ coaches who are all capable of handling teams on their own to work together for just a two-legged qualifier.

Reacting to the recent appointment of Chris Houghton as Technical Advisor for the Black Stars technical team of Otto Addo, George Boateng and Didi Dramani, the fans expressed concern about the timing because none may be considered again in the case of failure in this adventure.

The trio was appointed as replacement for the previous team led by Milovan Rajevac for their failure at the AFCON 2021 tournament held in Cameroon.

Ghana failed to win a single game at the continental showpiece; losing to Morocco and Comoros and drew with Gabon in the group games.

In separate interviews with the Ghanaian Times Sports, the fans expressed shock at the decision but hoped the team comes out successful at the end of the qualifier.

Mr. Daniel Asare, an Electrical Engineer lamented the decisionto assemble top coaches on interim basis instead of considering a long term deal for the team.

‘I feel that individually, they are all good coaches but what we lack is the caliber of players to carry their instructions. At the moment we don’t have a very good team.

“I would rather have one or two of them appointed and be given a long term contract that will see them build a winsome and formidable team for the future.’

Mr. Fredrick Essuman saidnone of the coaches appointed, except Didi Dramani, have the credentials as a team builder.

“We need coaches that can build a team for the future. Apart from the local coach among them, the rest lack that experience. They have been associated with already made teams so picking a team for such crucial assignment at such short notice may be problematic for them,” he said.

“The appointment is very disappointingand unimpressive looking at Houghton’s records with teams in England as compared to that of Otto Addo.

Mr Essuman said they may have some experience in management but not enough at this level and could struggle, looking at the quality of players at their disposal and the alleged rancour in the team.

In his view, the FA must develop the local coaches to the levels that they can be depended on and offer the same support to succeed.

Mr. Boris Osei,also told the Times Sports that it was time the football authorities put in place measures to strengthen and build on the capacity of the local coaches to also be trusted with such responsibilities.

According to him, among the three coaches tasked with qualification to the FIFA Mundial, Didi Dramani appears the most experienced among them but was made a second assistant.

“Dramani has had stints with the female national teams at the U-17 level which is even more difficult.

“With that, he will know more about team work and bonding and would have been the best among the ones listed but once again, it all about our preference for foreign based coaches.”

“At this level, one can comfortably say that our game is in the mud now and we’ll need somebody who would be committed and descend to those levels to get the very best to build a winsome national team; if it needed to be local players, then so be it.

He also urged government to concentrate on improving the state of sports facilities in the country while the FA focuses on finding a good coach for the national teams.

Mr. Albert Coffie, a Journalist at Uniiq FM hoped the FA had done the appointment on a long term basis, rather than the interim arrangement that will see us lose money as well.

Mr. Nicolas Effah, unemployed, urged the FA to appoint a coach with the charisma to wooGhanaian born foreign based players.

“Maybe beyond the Nigeria clash, we should get a coach that can convince the likes Hudson Odoi, Tariq Lamptey and others to don the jerseys of Ghana’s Black Stars.

BY EMMANUEL ASANTE

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