Black Stars problems are spiritual - Rev. Osei Kofi

Ghana legend Reverend Osei Kofi says the Black Stars’ failure to win any trophy since 1982 is purely due to spiritual issues not psychological problems.

His comments come after the president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) Kwesi Nyantakyi told reporters last week that psychological problems have prevented the Black Stars from winning laurels in almost 31 years.

Rev. Osei, who was part of the 1965 Africa Cup of Nations winning team, says past governments' failure to fulfill promises after the Mohammed Polo-led squad won the Nations Cup in 1978 is the reason the senior national team is not winning any laurels in recent years.

“The then head of state, General Ignatius Acheampong told the Black Stars team at the time that if they won the 1978 African Nations Cup, every player would be given a State house," he told Takoradi-based Skyy Power FM. "Ghana won it, and the players were supposed to get the State houses at Dansoman Estates.”

“Initially Mohammed Polo was given one, but when the other players didn’t receive their houses, Polo had to buy the house to stop the authorities from retrieving the property from him. When such promises are made and broken, why would we win anything?”

The former Accra Hearts of Oak player who was joint top-scorer in the 1965 Nations Cup finals has questioned the Ghana FA boss claims of psychological problems.

He added: “What psychological problems is Nyantakyi talking about? He should go and get a psychologist for the team as he has done and see if the Black Stars will win anything. The team’s problems are not psychological, but spiritual.”