Whoever nominated 72-year-old football coach Mr Ben Kuofie as chairman of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) must be squirming in his seat wherever he might be. After the disgrace (?) of Mali 2002, Black Stars captain, Emmanuel Osei Kuffour has finally let the cat out of the bag. The future of Ghana’s football does not lie with the FA boss. To him without doubt, Ben Koufie and Abedi Ayew Pele played various unprofessional roles that affected the entire playing body during the just ended African Cup of Nations in Mali.

In what appears to be a moment of truth and a resolve to voice out whatever he had swallowed during the team’s participation and risk any future invitation to the Black Stars, Osei Kuffour accused Ben Koufie of openly criticizing the head coach, Fred Osam Duodo in the presence of the players on several occasions. The FA chairman also yelled at the players unnecessary especially when they had opinions they wanted to voice out.

For instance instead of attempting to psyche up [Michael]Essien of Bastia before the game against Nigeria, the FA chairman accused him of feigning injury. Even Amankwaah Mireku who wept because he was finding it difficult to eat the food he was given was also accused of doing so to embarrass the nation. He was told to put up with conditions or shut up. These were bitter experiences for players most of who were playing on the big stage for the first time. Especially young materials who had the confidence that for the first time, an old national team colleague would better understand the nuances of modern football management.

Osei Kuffour also told a GTV interviewer that FA member Abedi Ayew Pele informed the junior players in the Black Stars that the GFA would do away with the senior members of the team after the tournament because they were either too old or indisciplined. These remarks created disunity in the team, since the junior players, did not show any respect in camp.

The FA, according to the captain, also allegedly threatened to drop him (Kuffour), Ishmael Addo, Charles Taylor and Jacob Nettey from the Black Stars for demanding the $2,000 promised them as appearance fee before their international friendly against Basque, something the FA has denied.

He was surprised that the two FA officials with the approval of team coordinator Kojo Quashie took most of the decisions, which were the prerogative of the coaches. The captain, who is currently in South Korea on a tour with a Chinese club, summed up his accusations with calls to the powers that be in Ghana football to go for a foreign coach to handle the Black Stars or supervise the total demise of the national team.

A foreign coach worth his salt seem the only alternative now because of the powers FIFA has bestowed on football administrators that prevent governmental interferance in football.