[Music] yeah if you haven't noticed that the black stars haven't qualified for the afcon it's not your fault because really if you look at it failing to qualify for the afcon can actually be a blessing and I know many of you are upset but maybe you don't have to be upset considering where the economy is right now what do we really gain from the black stars going to the World Cup let's pause and think about it again what what's really there to get apart from the bragging rights and the emotional benefit of being excited about the game and watching them and and jubilating there's nothing there's a lot more of negatives when they go to the World Cup when they go to the afcon that we've seen over the period and we're going to break that apart and understand why maybe this actually offers an opportunity to reset to rethink to restructure things to to to do something really revolutionary with the whole setup of the Ghana Football Association and the black stars itself something radical must happen because this is unacceptable when it came down to it the black stars bottom of the table there in qualifying for the afcom Angola is sitting pretty Sudan ner the black stars I mean at the bottom and the most shocking part of this is we they have three points three I mean it's it's so embarrassing when you look the that you wonder is this the Ghana the football nation are we still a footballing nation it's a question that we need to genuinely asked because it's in a long time since you you didn't even play second or third we B on the table we played a March tonight we played a March tonight here at the ACR sport stadium and you know what the result was we could not even score that is a shame indeed but there you have it it's been 20 years since we last failed to qualify to the afcon 20 whole years but it's happened but this has been coming by the way it's been coming because everybody else who's follow the black St what the per will tell you that apart from the8 to 2017 that period where we had a glory years of two finals and and four semi-finals from 2019 we started seeing the decline round of 16 exit 2021 we had a group stage exit 2023 we had another group stage exit now we don't even qualify after at all so if anybody is surprised that we have this very embarrassing record that for 20 years we been going through the afcon and now we couldn't go I tell you this has been coming and it's good that it's here at this time because we'll pause for some thought after this right and you begin to see why this could be a blessing we don't have to waste this amount of money on the black stars and the GFA they do not deserve a single penny and yes I use the word waste deliberately because that's what it is really you spent 3 million dollars on the black stars and they brought you group stage exit the last time we spent that money on them 3 million zero group stage exit that is how w peaceful the black stars have become in an economy that is struggling we are begging everybody for money to show up this economy right just asked the B they're looking for money just to show up the city and you're going to throw 3 million away on the black stars players who don't know what the meaning of patriotism and sacrifice is I I argue that this is why this qualification a failure to qualify is actually a blessing in this guys it's actually a blessing in this guys and we needed this to save this money cuz if you look at it 3. 4 million in 2017 $4. 5 million in 2019 money wasted over the period really because we have nothing to show for it I mean they CA us more pain more controversy run the name of the country in the man tear down the the little reputation we built on International Community because we they go and return with nothing more than bad news and controversy and pain and heartache and on top of that you spend this amount of money on on them it's not worth it absolutely not worth it and I look at the price money I mean even if you were thinking about the money it's not really about what we get back it's really nothing but considering that we've gone out to this stage this in the thousands we're spending more on the black stars than what we getting out even if you want to look at how much you bring back net and it off cost benefit analysis purely monetary terms they're not bringing us anything back that is worth spending the much on them because we've going out to round 16 quarterfinal stage we we've not been there in a long time just 1.
3 million but we're spending far more on that and if you look at the net spend there the afcon expenditure versus the price money we're talking about some difference of 2. 3 million dollar clearly nobody can make the argument that you can spend this much lose this much on the black stars and they then turn around and show attitude impose emotional trauma on the country and bring in more controversy because we decided to spend this much on so yeah of course it's good that you didn't qualify now and the total ofc come price money really between that period of 2019 to 2023 it say 1. 37 million ion dollar and I've told you already when you compare to what we have is absolutely nothing yes we receive some money from from from FIFA when we participated in the world cup but again that's money that you need to ask where is the accountability when we receive these where is the accountability so that whole architecture around the black stars the GFA needs a radical overhaul lack of accountability the breed lack of performance on the Black Star because nobody's accounting to anybody why are we surprised that we having this very terrible performance by the stars and we look at the FIFA rankings itself tells a story and you see the consistent decline over the period to the point where we are now talking about 73 in the world we've been dropping from the 50s 47s right when we doing a bit okay K to 2024 the worst we've been since 2016 there's something fundamentally wrong with the way we running the Affairs of football and the black stars in this country something fundamentally wrong and the rankings do not lie so who expected that by some miracle we're going to qualify to the afcon and waste more money ain't going to happen because the evidence shows that we haven't done enough to earn it and we kept dropping down a pecking order when it comes to the rankings so there you have it you look at the top five afcan winners we still basking that history that is so worn out and tired that we've won it four times and so what right many of you possibly watch me when not born when the time we last won I was I was pretty young than myself so this is absolutely nothing in red many have con and passes by we still holding on to that and then what we've been doing is each time we go to the afcon and we end up perform the fa will simply say they want to sack the coach six coaches in seven years six coaches an average really one coach a year that is staggering just to look at the numbers there six coaches in s years whoever is making the appointments itself needs to be sacked because if you're making these appointments and they are incrementally performing poorer year after year is getting worse not better one coach the next then appointing authority which in this case is a GFA and sometimes we know that the government has a stake in it because if you taxpayers money to fund the black stars and fund the GFA activities somebody's making fundamental poor judgment in the appointment of coaches and that person himself needs to go on this occasion the a must fall in GFA we'll have that conversation with my guest joining me because six coaches in s years with this performance and all the money we've spent that I haven't even money to talk about in paying the GFA and paying the coaches that tells you that something fundamentally is very very wrong and here they are in the long line of failings as far as the varying degrees in the we tried local and we tried foreign and they've all failed some have failed more than others but they failed nonetheless he in particular has failed more than most he can't win a game he can't even score I mean you there hasn't been a chair for the black stars in a long time and he had the Infantry to tell us today that he takes criticism and he values Jan klopp's criticism and feedback than what we give him we pay him and he's telling his dad but that's what happens when somebody dumps you goes back uh to to Germany then you go and bring him back to come and Coach you after he treating you that shaby I remember doing that show BM Express after he left and we brought him back what do you expect him to say he feels intitled he feels he's doing us a favor I'm talking about he came in did absolutely nothing Chris with all the reputation that he came from the EPL with we've seen him again I said the story already midan came did a fair bit but didn't take us too far and then we've seen Chia did his bit too he's doing well now with Sudan and then you have sik aonor who have had him talk today about what it would take to revive our fortunes as far as the national team is concerned but there's a lot of money spent on these coaches let's ask the question this really this failing to qualify is a blessing if only we can make good use of it to reform to radically transform the fundamentals of football and begin to build back better my guest will win after this break it's been a disastrous campaign for the black stars let's talk about it and as you know uh tonight PM is always brought to you by synx TS it is strong it is Staff academic times a peps and cavity fighter and academic times is an incoming graphic and online publication aiming to collaborate with University authorities and students to ensure that students research is published in summary form synex Tang Ghana get ready for the biggest giveaway from synex Tang synex is visiting 15 communities giving free water uh to them and this is to say thank you Ghana for making us number one now if you are a community and you want to benefit from SXF free water giveaway just log on to their social media handles at synex gh.
com synex GH at synex Ghana and nominate your community synex tank a strong a t and pepsin cavity is a toothpaste you need to use before you sleep tonight because as you know it make sure that your breath is as refreshing as you can ever have it and join me for conversation tonight are my guests who have been looking at this disaster showing the 20 years I'm pretty sure many of them haven't seen this in a long long time IM man aimu is a former black stars player himself and joins us I'm curious to hear his view on what has just happened even the last game that was supposed to be a consolation we managed to lose here today verica K is a sports journalist also joins me for with had take on this Patrick o jimo you know him host of fire for fire also joined me for conversation Ibrahim Sanara have been watching the black stars over the period and last time he was with me we're talking about what to do with the Stars it's it's as worse as it's gotten what the period and I'm delighted that he can join me again and I want to go to the former black stars player because he knows a thing or two about playing in games and qualifying and and fighting for the for the shed mru thanks for the time here on PM Express give me your reaction to how We've Ended our campaign it is disastrous as a former black stars player how are you feeling tonight my brother good evening again and I'm in pain I'm in to the extent that where the is head it's really dangerous and we need to ad for now that we are not that good we are not good to theend that if C have move the countri from 16 24 and Ghana not qualify to Afric you need to admit that we are not good so you said we are not good is it about the players the coaching or the management team where do you put this problem you um the problem we having now I think there are corporate always escape and that is where you need to find where the corporate are I don't think the entire problem lies on the coaches or the players well national team play for national team and Club is different so you might say okay they doing well in their clubs but why are they struggling in Ghana yes there's a coaching problem as well but if after 5 years you have changed five coaches and you tell me the entire problem you having with the national team is about the the coaches or the players then I will have a problem we need to find because our time and I will say this you were having a management committee members for the BL who has been there do job do everything for the team to get today I'm talking and if have where what are they doing it look like they have they have leave the coach alone to fight the problems because they need to play their role as a management because they supervise everything apart from the playing body so if now I'm talking some years you see and all of them supporting like now I can't find it anywhere you were having a Cru inia and everybody was there's none there supervising so we have a Ser problem and only the coaching and the players you need if you want to do well you need to sanze by sanitizing everybody some of the the they can take from it and see the problem weely adise or or criticize then there's a lot of people they take it as or you don't like them but this is not the problem one and half on this you ter station I said that if care is not taken qualification to Major tournament may be problematic what are we seeing today so we are in I'm in where where yeah I mean you mentioned the point that you are in pain but but Veronica I can bet that you are not in pain because as I've shown this has been coming for a long long time anybody who's following the black stars evolved over the years would know that something fundamentally was wrong that we were not fixing right to assume that why to say that that is a fair assessment that's fair assessment now the Sor sorry a let me bring in Veronica into the com hello Veronica uh please unmute for me Vera please unmute for me okay Evans is that better now I can hear you yes yes so all I'm saying is that we are all very heartbroken but because I'm a Ganan first of all I'm a football fan so what it means is that I will be disappointed if we are are unable to qualify for major competitions I have said in the past that in reality when the black stars or the national team start doing well it affects all of us in a positive way so without a doubt I am very heartbroken and if we have to go to the point where we say that we have been talking about this for a very long time and indeed it is what makes it even more painful because we have been emphasizing that since 2008 to 20 2017 we made six final six semi-finals with two of them being finalist and semi-finals I let let me put it that way and we would have expected that we get better but from 2019 after we exited at the round on 16 we have been exiting from the group stage and the alarm Bells were sounding by the day about the fact that there is something wrong and if we don't have a genuine looking as to what we can do then there this day would happen when we started the qualifiers or when OT came when we played the World Cup qualifiers it all looked good because we beat Mali and came home to win but when we kick off the afon campaign it was all telling it was easy to blame it on on the page when we lost to Angola and then to Niger and Sudan draw and then the defeat it was coming and how as as far far as this is so sad my thinking is that if this is the lowest e we need to get so that those who are at the helm of our Affairs or those who care about football or leading the chat would want to have a sit down and have a look in then so be it okay and there's something that K kuu has been saying I want to put to uh s d he says on this post that definitely this is not what we want and what we bargain for at this point only cool heads can win and we as we as Leaders of our sport will stay together be honest with ourselves and fix this problem does he deserve to be there with himself and the rest to even be honest what says anything the Backle this sunny only Co heads can win and we are we as Leaders of our I believe we we having some feedback they will try and rectify that let me put that to ver while Rectify that audio Vera must he be there and I want to start from the very top because I'll come to the coach but must he be there to even do an assessment to try and fix the problem here and and the rest of the management I do think that the first thing he should be taking responsibility uh s forgive me we we'll try and rectify that we have a we have a a challenge with the relay coming through from your end we'll try and fix that I I want to hear from verica quickly Veronica I I I still think that the first thing that GF President should be doing is taking responsibility about the fact that he has supervised the worst ever spell for Ghana in 5 years back to back to back exit at the Nations cup at the first round and now not qualifying in any serious country ha must be rolling or people must have the Integrity or the standard enough to say that I had ideas I wanted to well I and now that we do not qualify it is important that I step aside because perhaps my ideas are no longer working and I haven't even seen that in his post and I also disagree that he seemed to think that the height the highest of the highest per the quot was qualifying for the World Cup in 2022 in Cara no in 20110 we were almost semifinalist at the World Cup so it cannot be the height of height you have failed as an hey president I mean the evidence is so telling so I do not think that he should be there in the first place but would he have the courage and and the standard to know that having disappointed the nation so much he should step down is something I can't really imagine what happened because if I look at the tone of his post it tells me that he feels he should be around it's been 5 years and you cannot say that the normalization or postn normalization whatever is still well under way it is not when you qualified the nation for the nation cup the the World Cup you were gloating all over the place and taken the credit you have failed you must do the same I'm afraid let me let's bring in s hopefully uh his connection will be great s do you agree that on the back of this K and his group must step aside okay uh we will try and uh and fix that uh do we have S on the line okay will also join us pretty shortly and let me bring in a Aim so let's start from the very top as far as the management is concerned what should happen now to kek and his rest of this on this of his group in D so that we need never the head and see how best they can help him to we we have a challenge with that connection too um let's fix it and we still listen to PM Express and we having a conversation about the black stars and if you're joining us tonight they played a game tonight and they lost you seen it on your screens this is after we have failed to qualify and we there was there was some expression of fighting for the flag and and getting some consolation it was all about honor today because you're playing that final game here in Ghana and somehow we contrive to lose 21 uh on our own te so that is what you're watching on your screen it's the the lowest we have sank as a black stars so-called football in nation in a long long time the last 20 years we have never been here before I understand if you can hear me I understand that we have managed to fix this now I I wanted to start from the top in diagnosing this problem and moving forward really that's the current management of the black stars and football in Ghana led by K and his team do they deserve to still be there on the back of this well um it's it's I think that it's for them um to decide they have a mandate to run they've won an election it's up to um K and his team to decide on the next move they they want to take but that said of course they cannot if um if there's Glory of course they will they will take the glory for it of course if there's failure indeed they must accept part of the blame as aiman bedu has stated but I just want to warn against um a trigger happy approach where um you know when issues like this happen we are all too eager to say you know sack this person this person must go this person must go I think that it will be prudent for us to take a considered approach look at what has gone wrong in our qualifiers and then based on the conceded um analysis of what has gone wrong a decision can be taken whether people should be fired whether people what went wrong then for you or whether we should improve on what we have done or fix what is broken what went wrong for you in this qualifiers I think that there's a um you know a lot of factors number one the fact that um um you know we we had a wishy-washy campaign I say a wishy-washy campaign at a time that a lot of teams were already preparing we were even juggling about where to play where to play what our pitches are and all of that I also think that um you know we we were UN lacky in some instances with player absences as you've seen in the last match for instance eight players pulled out but there are also perhaps maybe deeper problems I I see from AF far and that has to do perhaps with the way our coach has man managed the team even towards the end of towards the end of the campaign and I also think that um the the management M committee and the executive committee of the GFA have not come up to the task and I also think that um the squad wise the players some of the players would the players generally also have to take responsibility the entire e Co system did not work well I think that each and everyone has got to take a share of the blame okay but but something radically must happen you don't agree to get us at least put put us on the path to recovery I think something radical must happen but the radicality of it must also be in such a way that it does not completely destroy what is built for me I remember um you know where we came from where we we couldn't even go to the afcon and perform well we we came back from those deaths and then we able to go to the 2022 World Cup where we saw some good matches some good games with an a squad of an average age of 20. 7 that showed that there was a lot of future in the team then when we came back um Oto left Chris took over the team went you know it started sliding again Oto came back and then he he came at a time that we we were looking like well almost like you know you know losing our afcon um our world cup Prospect he came and revived the World Cup Prospect but the sticking point has been the afom and unfortunately all of these things came together as it is so if you are to look at it from that point you would say that we have to you know there's Prospect in the team but you know there are some changes that needs to be done perhaps me my thinking is perhaps for Oto to reassess how he looks at um our national teams how he approaches players how you know he views a lot of things you know the things that would work in Europe might not necessarily work in Africa and these are some of the things Oto has played for the black stars it's a former player so we can't say he doesn't have um the African experience he does and I think that he needs to rid himself with the European thinking sometimes if players go wrong um there need there has to be consequences but the consequences must come in such a way that it doesn't affect the so so s you're keeping you're keeping o for me I'll keep him no doubt I'll keep him for these these simple reasons and I'll tell you why now 20 uh before we we went for the um 2022 World Cup we knew where the deps we were he came he injected confidence in the team we beat Nigeria to qualify we went to the World Cup we did creditably well and the team showed Prospect the team was you know with an average age I think of about 20.
