Sports

Welcome to the hot seat, Kurt! … but beware of the bootlickers

EVERY cloud, they sages say, has its own silver lining. Today’s cloud carries the emblem of the ‘GameChanger.’

So, it came to pass that owner and bankroller of Dreams FC, Kurt E.S. Okraku, was last Friday elected the 24th President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) on a dramatic day that saw the polls glide into the second round.

Kurt stunningly upstaged six other candidates including the front-runner George Afriyie, who sportsmanly ‘threw in the towel’ before the third round got underway.

Victory for the new FA President may have come as a huge surprise to many followers of domestic football, who had tipped Afriyie – a former vice president during Kwesi Nyantakyi’s administration – to succeed his former boss.

There were displays of spontaneous exhilaration moments after the results were declared. Many of Okraku’s supporters were seen blissfully twirling, singing, clapping and hopping before joining other celebrants outside the auditorium for an ecstatic group hug. It was all-too expected.

Of course, the celebrations must pause now in place of a conscientiously concerted effort to put a wobbling Ghana football back on track.   

It is expected that the man, who campaigned strongly at the back of his ‘GameChanger Manifesto’ will get down to brass tacks, get everybody on board, heal deep wounds, fix a nearly ‘tattered’ Football Association and pull the crowds back into the stands.

This must not be time for pay-back; it is a moment of reconciliation and unity as we propel our football to the next level.

The ‘GameChanger’ knows this all-too well.

“There’s no Kurt winner; the winning team is Ghana football. It’s time for us to forgo any hard feelings, work hard and rebuild Ghana football,” he hammered.

Many things have gone worryingly bad. Sponsors now have a despicable perception of the FA. It is an impression of greed, avarice, dishonesty and corruption – and this saturnine picture hopefully, will have to change with the coming into office of Kurt – a member of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) and former GFA Exco member.

All the candidates spoke extensively about plans to revive colt football and Ghanaians would be expectant to see this manifesto promise come into fruition. Indeed, it must not be given a lick-and-and-a-promise.

To achieve his dreams and objectives, however, Kurt must be cautious of the people around him. They may be good. They may be vicious. Nobody knows!

His former boss, Kwesi Nyantakyi, may have had his ‘dynasty’ brought down to earth as a result of some of the breed of people around him.

Today, if Nyantakyi looks back and take a deep retrospection, he would be the first to agree that he had too many self-centred, boot-licking advisors around him who only wanted their personal gains. And, they let him down big time!

Without any scintilla of doubt, Kurt has a long row to hoe – but with sheer determination and dogged sense of purpose, he can break the back of the beast.

Welcome to the hot seat, GameChanger!

BY JOHN VIGAH

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