Mountain-climbing can be an exciting, rewarding adventure, according to the lore of enthusiasts and aficionados.
It could be dangerous, even lethal, most enthusiasts concede, but with proper planning and great preparations, it could be a very rich, rewarding experience.
What is more, the good thing about mountains is that, they take us to the top, the apex, if you like, where we can reign as monarchs of all in the valley.
Ghana finds herself in the valley, currently trying to resurrect from shambles, crumpled like rubble from the battle for world supremacy at the Brazil 2014 world cup.
The senior national football team, the Black Stars, have qualified for the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Equatorial Guinea, slated for January 17-February 7, next year.
Ghana topped her group, but that is a roof-top reign, in a group that included 52nd ranked Sparrow Hawks of Togo who conceded six goals against Ghana, and 55th ranked Syli National of Guinea who conceded four goals against Ghana.
That group also included 84th ranked Cranes of Uganda, who tied the away game in Kumasi and triumphed 1-0 over Ghana, in Kampala, in the penultimate qualifier.
Following that qualification, inspite of a scheduled coach-search, including interviews and negotiations for the take-over of the team by an incoming new, substantive coach of the team, a group of concerned citizens are urging the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to ignore and set aside that arrangement, instead handing the stop-gap coach, Maxwell Konadu, the reins, for the championship proper.
I respect the views and the concerns of folks that hold such views, but I hold that though Konadu is indigenous (which seems to be the overriding factor in the argument advanced by that group), and industrious, it does not necessarily translate to him being illustrious.
The last time the nation went on such a frenzy, appointing Konadu’s former boss, Akwasi Appiah, on similar sentiments, he ended up as the worst Black Stars coach at the world cup, only managing ONE POINT OUT OF A POSSIBLE NINE, masterminding Ghana’s first-round exit from the world cup, with all its attendant acrimony, in the aftermath.
However, how does one climb over the strong sentiments of two of my heroes, former Black Stars influential players, Joe Addo and Sam Johnson, in line with some of the feelings of fans, to appoint Konadu the new substantive coach?
It is a delicate issue that requires a dispassionate assessment, unmoved by sentiment, only guided by principles.
To begin with, the current campaign for the local coach is a sharp reminder of the disastrous output of Akwasi Appiah at the world cup, incinerating great expectations, given the previous landmark of the historic quarter-final berth at the 2010 world cup in South Africa.
The propagandists might not want to revisit that painful reminder, but it is instructive that we be guided by the fallouts of that decision based on the sentiment that the coach was indigenous.
The argument that Konadu be given the reins because he qualified the team, is neither here nor there, given that it was clearly set-out to him that he was the stop-gap coach, while the FA was exercising due diligence in interviewing candidates for the vacancy, following their unjustified firing of Akwasi Appiah at a time he was performing well in the AFCON qualifiers.
Moreover, the humble and affable Maxwell Konadu, for whom there is great goodwill, did not apply for the position, once it became available.
I accept he cannot be blamed for not applying; he was already disqualified by inference. For, the FA did not recognize him as an upgrade on his former boss, Akwasi Appiah, precipitating their global search for Appiah’s successor. So, that assessment precluded Konadu from applying for the vacancy.
Since that is the case, and the FA have painstakingly gone through the process of searching, interviewing, negotiating and agreeing terms with the top candidate, Avram Grant, a fact known to the propagandists, it would be an exercise of bad faith to disrespect the process, disrespect Avram Grant, disrespect the entire international football community, and keep Ghana’s image down in the pits, following her chaotic Brazil 2014 world cup campaign.
That is a course for the ill-advised, a path I do not recommend. I fully support the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MOYS) and the FA, in their determination to chart a new course, guided by respect for due process and principles, rather than being guided by emotions, some genuine, yet misplaced.
Already, the technical team is behind time, with only two months to go, and only one month of preparation time available, realistically.
Therefore, the situation requires decisive and prompt action, re the appointment and unveiling of the new Black Stars’ substantive coach.
It is time the FA appointed Avram Grant as the new substantive coach of the Black Stars, and give him carte blanche to pick his own team, pre-test new systems he may want to deploy, preferably against a good side, a la the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
I imagine there would be a few changes in the playing body, given recent injuries to captain Asamoah Gyan, and influential midfielder Andre Ayew, and the re-emergence of Mubarak Wakaso, in time to possibly take the place of injured Kwadwo Asamoah, reportedly mulling going under the knife to fix his recurring knee problem.
Besides that, there is the issue of the defensive frailties of the Black Stars, to fix. That deficiency of conceding more goals than number of matches played, affecting the team’s Goal Difference index, requires immediate attention, especially since Ghana ranks outside the top five, in the Least Goals Conceded (LGC) category of all qualified countries for the AFCON 2015.
The practice of rotating subpar goalies trained by a subpar goalkeeper's trainer should end, forthwith, with the call-up, I hope, of Adam Kwarasey, Ghana's number one goalie, benched, then excluded, thanks to favouritism by the ex-coach, Akwasi Appiah.
I have heard of efforts by ex-Black Stars goalie, Abukari Damba, to reunite the Black Stars with Kwarasey, who has since rejected call-ups to the Black Stars for as long as the aformentioned goalkeeper's trainer stayed at post.
That may be a mountain to climb, yet it is necessary, in order to translate the dreams of die-hard fans into reality and fulfil the aspirations of the nation to relive her 1982 conquest of Africa, however daunting the tquest might seem.
The Indomitable Lions of Cameroun and the Teranga Lions of Senegal, ranked 40th and 41st , respectively, by FIFA, lead the way in that category, and start as hot favourites to vie for the trophy. IN SIX MATCHES, both countries conceded ONLY ONE GOAL, apiece, a testament to their s-t-r-o-n-g defence.
The high-flying Carthage Eagles of Tunisia, ranked 31st by FIFA, come up in the second-tier reckonings, having CONCEDED ONLY TWO GOALS. Likewise, the 78th ranked Chipolopolo of Zambia that ONLY CONCEDED TWO GOALS, behind its group leaders, Cape Verde, ranked 33rd by FIFA.
Tier Three starts with the Bafana Bafana Boys of South Africa, ranked 57th by FIFA, who CONCEDED THREE GOALS, weakening their previous reckoning as the best defence, prior to the passing of goalie Senzo Meyiwa, who had kept a clean sheet in four qualifiers.
The fact that South Africa conceded three goals in their last two matches – one at home against 107th ranked Sudan, and two away to 42nd ranked Super Eagles of Nigeria – raises questions about their defence, ahead of the championship.
FIFA-ranked 15th, the Desert Warriors of Algeria, riding high following a good performance at the Brazil 2014 world cup, and gaining the most points in the qualifiers (15), no doubt topped their group, but CONCEDED FOUR GOALS, albeit displaying disinterest in their last qualifier against 58th ranked Mali, to whom it lost, qualifying Mali in the process.
Those three tiers sum up the list of credible contenders for the crown, inspite of the surging optimism of some Ghanaian fans, and the clamour of some ex-internationals and some media allies to hand Maxwell Konadu the responsibility of head-coaching the Black Stars at the imminent African championship in January, inspite of the completed due process of filling that vacancy.
Unquestionably, time is the currency of life, and the FA must be disciplined to stick to principles, and cash in with the timely appointment and unveiling of Avram Grant, for him to pick and prepare the team, in time, and get ready for the quest to climb to the top of the mountain and lift the AFCON 2015 trophy.
No doubt, it is an ambitious quest for any country to lift the trophy in next year’s AFCON in Equatorial Guinea, and it is particularly so for Ghana, given the Black Stars’ leaking defence, that CONCEDED SEVEN GOALS IN SIX MATCHES, and the spate of injuries affecting three key players.
As though that were not enough burden on the technical team, there has been undue delay by the FA in settling the issue, pronto, with the appointment of Avram Grant.
The only shot Ghana needs is a shot in the arm (with the timely appointment of the experienced coach), not a shot in the foot (over the hesitation, the undue delay and the ongoing Konadu-for-headcoach propaganda), disturbing the peace.
I wish the FA courage in sticking to principles, respecting the due process and affirming its own due diligence in the matter of appointing the successor to Akwasi Appiah, whom it fired, unjustifiably.
If that courage results in Ghana eventually reliving the 1982 exploits of the Black Stars returning home as conquering heroes, perhaps, that would serve as a penance for all the sins of the beleaguered association.
It is possible for Ghana to climb all the way to the top of the mountain in African football, but that quest requires proper preparations that brook no further delay.
The Black Stars may look sleek, even elegant, flashing a luxurious exterior, but the team requires great equilibrium (s-t-r-o-n-g defence) and horsepower (the necessary firepower), led into battle by a tried and tested general.
With the benefit of great preparations, it can be done. Cameroon, in shambles at this year’s world cup, have reorganized, and are in great shape, now.
Ghana, too, if organized, and properly motivated, can get into shape, in time, to conquer Africa, once, again. To that, I say, Amen.