‘Problems in Ghana football started in 2006’ – Tony Yeboah

Former Ghana International, Tony Yeboah has added his voice to the major topic of discussion currently concerning the dire state of Ghana football.

According to the former Leeds United darling striker, the problem stems all the way back to Ghana’s participation at the 2006 World Cup in Germany where certain bureaucratic issues among the handlers of the Stars were not adequately dealt with.

Issues which have not been adequately sorted out more than a decade since and are still threatening to derail the progress of Ghana football.

An inquiry has already begun into the latest Black Stars’ fiasco where Ghana failed to pick a medal at the just ended AFCON in Gabon with ex-players, football administrators and the media alike, all having their take on what the problems crippling the nation’s football could be and the way forward in solving these issues.

Some have even called for the heads of certain handlers and officials of the Black Stars and Tony Yeboah, speaking to Angel FM in Kumasi, has had his share of the cherry indicating that a decade-old issue and problems in the team have still not been dealt with and until they are, the Black Stars are still going to suffer.

“When we went to Germany, we encountered certain petty issues in the camp where the GFA acted like a mafia group and held issues in their stead firmly without letting anybody in. When we came home after the tournament, nobody spoke of it. People who had the bravery to speak of it did not have any help or backing whatsoever and were asked by certain FA officials to keep mute and we never heard of the issues again. There are certain officials in the FA who have rendered themselves untouchable; you speak [about] issues which do not go down well with them and all of a sudden you are number one public enemy”.

“It does not matter whether you are the Minister. If you are not on the same page with them or you do not see eye to eye with them, it means you are in trouble and it is something that has been there since and is still going on at the FA so why should it be like that? It has been from that time (2006 World Cup) since our football has never been the same. There have been some impressive performances along the way notably the 2010 World Cup but since then, our football has been in turmoil and the sooner we get rid of such autocracy at the FA, the better for all of our sakes.”

It has been a torrid week for Ghana football after Black Stars’ failure to shine at the AFCON and the team’s inability to perform at the tourney has been greeted with expected disapproval, with fans and the media alike holding certain officials responsible for the fiasco and asking them to step down from their posts.