Ghana Football Association (GFA) Executive Council member, Nana Oduro Sarfo, has admitted that issues surrounding the captaincy of the Black Stars have in the past been badly managed, leading to unnecessary controversies and uncertainty in the national team.
In a speech during an interview with Connect 97.1 FM, Oduro Sarfo recognized that the different leadership teams over time have had trouble conducting changes of leadership seamlessly, leading to strains among the players and fans.
“Captaincy issues have genuinely brought so many bad times for the Black Stars. They are largely the decision of the coach, but I concur it has been mismanaged throughout the years,” he said.
The Black Stars have had a history of captaincy issues, with one of the latest being the 2019 controversy when Asamoah Gyan was omitted for Andre Ayew ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The decision caused tensions within the team, with Gyan initially retiring from international football before later reversing his decision following an intervention by the presidency.
In the same vein, during the mid-2000s, stripping Stephen Appiah of the captaincy also caused disharmony among the team.
Oduro Sarfo’s utterances thrust into prominence the growing condemnation of leadership brawls in the Black Stars, with most calling for an open, transparent, and methodical method of selecting captains.
Since Ghana has not been leaving a significant imprint on the international arena in recent years, stakeholders believe that fixing such internal issues will be instrumental in the future success of the team.
