For a moment, one would think there was going to be some kind of celebration at the premises of the Ghana Football Association. The Federation has been in the news for the right and wrong reasons depending on who you speak to all these months after the Global Mundial in Brazil.

We have shared our thoughts on several platforms on these issues so I would want to skip that for now and focus on what transpired at the FA’s offices last Thursday and which is likely to dominate discussion for the next couple of days. The big deal should be somewhere next year we are told when the Presidency would be up for grabs but ahead of the election, it was still incumbent on the controlling body to do some soul searching and put in place mechanisms that sought to portray that the FA had competent individuals to manage the negative buzz around it. We knew it was only a matter of time before this took effect. Indeed President Nyantekyi had told the world about the impending changes in the various management committees in the not too distant future after the shambolic events of Brazil 2014 but it was all going to boil down to who was placed where depending on their capabilities and “loyalties”. And please don’t ask me what that meant in this context.

Fast forward the times to the D-day and you just had this strong feeling that some surprises lay waiting for the journos who had literally besieged the nation’s favourite destination in recent times. A few names had been thrown up in the days leading to the big announcement only for word to come through that the FA boss was relinquishing his position as the Black Stars Management Committee Chairman. The questions that arose were immense. Was he doing this voluntarily or was he being pushed? Or was it a case of him simply having too much on his hands? For me, he had decided anyways and his reasons may not have necessarily mattered.

Enter George Afriyie into the auditorium and his body language said it all. You got the feeling that he was humbled by the honour done him by his boss and the team (a decision he would have known of a few minutes earlier) and it was now up to him to walk his next stanzas. A case of old and new for me as regards the full complement. Kwame Ofosu Bamfo and Opanyin Yaw Boateng Gyan were retained with new entrants Adam Munkaila, SSNIT DG Ernest Thompson and former National Star Kwame Ayew joining the team. Afriyie would be supported by administrator extraordinaire Cudjoe Fianoo as his vice. The complication in here though has arisen with the naming of FA Veep Fred Crentsil as the General Coordinator of the various national teams. This practice does exist in some countries and with a well laid out job description. How that would be applicable here remains to be seen. The mantle placed on his shoulders (Afriyie) is immense and he wasn’t far from the truth when he did admit that the Black Stars were not the best of pals with the general public. He has got to turn that around someway somehow and a result at the AFCON in less than two months would make his job a lot easier. His experiences with Liberty Professionals and Gamba All Blacks and that of the Satellites should play to his advantage but this is a close to the top than he could ever have imagined. Great guy, tough character, astute businessman. That should all play to his advantage.

Messrs Osei Kwaku Palmer and Fred Crentsil have been in the firing line for the disqualification of the Black Starlets and with a negative ruling coming through from CAF, you would have thought that their chances were going to be limited as far as managerial roles at the FA were concerned especially from a moral angle. Question marks would be raised about how these gentlemen were “elevated” to their new positions on the back of the “Twum scandal” as Starlets managers. In their heart of hearts, they may have contemplated taking these jobs or otherwise. In my opinion it was a wee bit too early on their part to assume their new roles only twenty four hours after the Starlets ruling from CAF. It just was not right. Mr Crentsil's case is even more difficult to accept. Poor with the Starlets,  the Queens, Hearts of Oak, Saint Mirren. Something is just not right with his appointment. Both though have a brilliant opportunity to demonstrate their managerial acumen in their new roles. They cannot afford to make mistakes again. The jury is out on them to be honest.

And how about Kweku Eyiah,  M.N.S.Doe and Randy Abbey for the Starlets, the Meteors and the Black Queens respectively? Is madam Leanier still not good enough to handle the Ladies?

MEDIA COMMITTEE

Mr lifelong brother Sannie Daarah has done his bit as the Communications Director. An amazing bloke he is but how would he fare with a team of competent guys and ladies who can manage the corporate image of the FA? I understand some names are being deliberated upon. My training for my second degree tells me a good speaker of the English language does not necessarily pass to speak for the FA. Having to deal with over two fifty stations locally and several print houses is a big ask. He would be the first to admit that the FA’s communication has been diluted with all kinds of individuals who claim to represent the views of the FA. The FA is at a point where they need professional expertise and not just anyone who can speak the Queens language or the local dominant Akan language. It is not enough mate. The unprofessionalism must give way to a breed of communicators who know their job. Period.

AVRAM GRANT 

Very familiar name these days and what a less “tedious” job he could have bargained for. No specific set targets for the Black Stars at AFCON 2015 never mind how long the proud football nation has waited to win that elusive penta. It has been a generation and counting since the Black Stars last won the nations cup (1982) and why we would go into a cup of nations without specific targets than to “do well” is a bit incomprehensible to me. The bosses have spoken. I need to accept that. Granted his appointment is too close to the continental showpiece which makes it unrealistic to ask Him to win the ultimate, how then do we define in the FA’s bosses words a good outing in Equatorial Guinea? The 2017 AFCON is another twenty six months away but it is good to know that the FA have huge ambitions concerning that. What they may not have factored is that our chances could be eclipsed if we do not win the hosting rights and if the form of the lads at the time is not up there. You just never know.

These are trying times for football in Ghana without a doubt. This generation of leaders can choose to be transformational or just follow the status quo. It is in their hands really.