Andre Dede Ayew

Ghana’s President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, had a strong and firm caution to the 35-year old striker of the Uruguay national team, Luis Suarez, who prevented the Black Stars, the Ghanaian national football team from advancing to the semi- final stage of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.  In the 2010 World Cup, Ghana progressed beyond the group stages to reach the quarter- finals only to be eliminated by Uruguay in such a bizarre circumstance.The game itself, ended in a 1-1 draw, after which Ghana was eliminated on penalties by Uruguay.

LUIS SUAREZ’S HANDBALL AGAINST GHANA

It was Luis Suarez’s handball against Ghana which prevented the ball from entering their own goal post after the ball had “beaten” the goalkeeper, and that denied Ghana the chance to advance to the semi-final stages of the World Cup tournament in 2010.The resultant penalty was painfully missed by the Ghanaian captain and striker, Asamoah Gyan.  That crucial penalty missed, which otherwise could have sent the Black Stars to the semi- finals, drew a lot of criticisms on Asamoah Gyan from a section of the Ghanaian public.

Reminiscing that painful experience when President Akufo-Addo received the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour, sponsored by the Coca Cola International at the Jubilee House in Accra on Saturday night of September 3, 2022, the elated President did not mince words when he said that, Ghana had to wait for 12 years for a revenge against Uruguay and, “we assure them that this time, the hand of Suarez will not save them against the Black Stars of Ghana.  They are going down”.

PRESIDENT AKUFO-ADDO’S WORLD CUP PREDICTION

The President whose speech was delivered on his behalf by his Chief of Staff, Madam Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, during a two-day of events in Ghana to signify the arrival of the World Cup trophy on Ghanaian soil said Ghana would be the first country to lift the FIFA World Cup in Qatar this year. Hear the President; “I am of the firm confidence that Ghana will not take part in the competition but also to make the entire nation and, therefore, the African continent proud with superb performance.  I therefore, want to urge all Ghanaians to throng to the Accra Polo Court to view the trophy and be part of history, before we finally bring the cup home on December 18, 2022. We, who were the first to gain our freedom and independence from colonial rule, will be the first to bring the World Cup to Africa”.

GHANA’S OPPONENTS IN THE WORLD CUP TOURNAMENT

According to the tournament fixtures, the Black Stars will begin its first match against Portugal on November 24, 2022, at Stadium 974 in Doha.  Four days later, Ghana will return to action with a clash with South Korea at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.  The team will then wrap up its group stage adventure with its much- anticipated encounter with Uruguay at the Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah.

Ghana has so far tasted the World Cup tournament three times being 2006, 2010 and 2014, and this year’s event will be its fourth time.  Nigeria, Ghana’s next door neighbour through which Ghana won its qualification to the 2022 edition of the tournament has participated in the tournament six times.  Cameroon and Ghana, are the African teams to have gone the farthest at the World Cup tournament, reaching the quarter-final stages.

ARRIVAL OF COCA COLA WORLD CUP TROPHY IN GHANA

Indeed, the arrival of the 18 karat pure gold trophy in Ghana has heightened the World Cup tournament fever in the country as it has given football fans the chance to experience the coveted prize as it makes its way to all the 32 FIFA World Cup qualifying nations for the first time.The majority of Ghanaians both old and young and toddlers came from near and afar, to have a feel of the trophy and took pictures with the golden cup as it was displayed at the Accra Polo Court for public viewing.

The Coca Cola International has had a long-standing relationship with FIFA since 1976 and has been an official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup tournament since 1978. The company has advertised at every FIFA World Cup tournament stadia since 1950 and is a long- time supporter of football at all levels. This is the fifth time that the company and FIFA have come together to bring the World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca Cola to the world.

PROVIDING RESOURCES FOR BLACK STARS’ PREPARATIONS

With barely two months to this world soccer fiesta knocking on our doors, it is very necessary and important for us as a nation to commit all the resources needed to prepare a formidable team to represent and fly high the flag of Ghana in far-away Qatar. We should leave no stone unturned to raise the needed funds and logistics to support this important tournament which is aimed at uniting the entire world.  Football is the greatest passion of almost every nation across the globe, because it serves as a unifying weapon to countries worldwide. Once Ghana has earned its qualification to the tournament through the hard way, it is incumbent on the government to commit the needed resources through sponsorship initiatives as well as making it flexible for companies which are anxious to sponsor the programme to come on board with various tax rebates. 

The President is upbeat about Ghana winning the trophy which can be possible because the country is also blessed with an array of talented and skillful players who are recognised internationally in global soccer tournaments because of their association with major teams in the world. Our coaches, led by hard working and indefatigable Otto Addo, who himself had played for Ghana before and knows what it takes to win matches, are ever ready to build and shape the team to participate fully in this great FIFA World Cup tournament in mid- November.

GHANA-BRAZIL FRIENDSHIP GAME IS COMMENDABLE

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the coaches’ decision to play friendly matches with some of the top class football nations, such as almighty Brazil who for now have no challenger in world soccer, is the greatest decision ever taken to prepare our team against all odds as we face teams like Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay, who are all difficult and dangerous to handle. Brazil has been a difficult nut to crack anytime Ghana had played with them and, therefore, playing a friendly match with them prior to the start of the tournament is a step in the right direction and we need to commend those behind the arrangement.

For now, all that Ghanaians are clamouring for, is for the coaches to monitor and begin their training with the young players, especially those with dual nationalities who have switched nationalities to play for Ghana because of the love they have for this country. Looking at the number of players we have at the moment and their subsequent performances globally, it would be very difficult and hectic for the coaches to select and form their team. There should not be any room for half-fit players since the game depends on excessive energy. However, we have to give our coaches the benefit of the doubt; they are in charge and know what they will be looking for as far as the selection of players is concerned. The buck stops with Coach Otto Addo to select the best out of the lot; he takes responsibility for his own action and inaction and, therefore, must be left to do his own thing.

MEDIA ROLE IN THE WORLD CUP TOURNAMENT

As we wait for the team to be finally constituted by our head coach and his assistants, it is important for the Ghanaian media, especially, radio and television to be supported with funds and logistics to start playing jingles as well as organising programmes for the various national supporters’ unions just as it was done in 2010 when we participated in the World Cup in South Africa, to heighten the fever in the country.

This is the time to change the general mood of this country in which the people are confronted with severe economic hardship by using this global football fiesta on the world most prestigious calendar to at least bring relief and happiness to Ghanaians.

By Charles Neequaye

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