One down, one more to go must be the wish by a many a critic of FA president Kwesi Nyantekyi as calls for his resignation as President of the Ghana Football Association grows loudest.

Word coming through from the corridors of the football controlling body is that The FA Capo is set to cede off his position as Chairman of the Black Stars Management Committee on the back of the poor administrative showing in Brazil. Smart decision? It is amazing how the backlash seems to be growing by the day several months after the Mundial. Even the Brazilians have moved on. Ghanafo kasa haba.

Anyways, Mr Nyantekyi did tell the world about impending changes in the various management teams not necessarily due to the Stars World Cup debacle but a case of strong and effective management. Change has always been inevitable anyway but do we just have to change for change sake? Any corporate entity may not necessarily make changes to deal with ineffective leaders at the helm of affairs. It could be a structural issue. The reasons for these decisions by the FA to shuffle the pack may be due to these reasons or otherwise. Would this decision turn out to be a smart move and what are the options if indeed the Laywer Nyantekyi decides to cede the management of the Stars to another team member who would report to him anyways?

I was privileged to be on the Asempa Sports Show a couple of years ago(after South Africa 2010 I reckon) where the argument was raised on whether The FA boss should be the one managing the side as it pertained in other jurisdictions. The Argentine, Spanish, Paraguayan and Japanese examples were sighted at the time. The argument in favour was that very powerful people do run the sport and that kind of influence could positively impact on the nation’s clout and performance. (I did not see a research to back that though). It may have made some sense as then Argentine FA boss Julio Grondona, Paraguayan Nicolas Leoz and Spaniard Angel Villar served on the powerful FIFA Executive Committee. How influential they may have been over the years for their nation is difficult to tell but human as we all are, their positions may have influenced “some things” as we say here in Ghana. Is that what may have pushed Chairman Nyantekyi to “take” over the reign’s from Chairman Pappoe? You never know but years into this position as the main man, you would ideally want to see a certain level of progress. The only means of measurement of one’s progress is purely by performance. He supervised two successive semi-final CAN appearances and a world Cup first Round exit. And who says that is poor in itself? But juxtapose that with Messrs Pappoe who did a CAN Final in 2010(Angola) and a World Cup quarter final and you needn’t need to be told who did do more.

Now back to my point raised earlier concerning Chairman Nyantekyi’s possible decision to step down as the Management Committee Chairman and who the mantle might likely fall on. The chance of that position being taken up by someone who is not with the football people is as remote as using Paracetamol to kill Ebola. Forget. That would not happen. The question then is what should be factored into determining who assumes the position as the next Chairman?

The immediate group of football people who would come to my mind is his current Committee members comprising Politician Opanyin Yaw Boateng Gyan and millionaire businessmen Kwame Ofosu Bamfo, Moses Armah, Felix Ansong and Emmanuel Kyeremeh. I am not too sure which of these guys would be interested in this position. With soo much on their hands, they may just not make the time. Opanyin Gyan is in a battle to retain his position as National Organizer of the ruling National Democratic Congress by the end of this year and with national elections not too far away, he is not a possible bet either. That would take me to the Emergency committee who run the day to day affairs of the sport comprising Messrs George Afriyie, Felix Ansong, Kyeremeh and current FA Vice Chair Fred Crentsil. Kyeremeh has been out of town with valid reasons I am told for well over a year. Mr Afriyie is the passionate vocalist and defender of his bosses attributes and success story. Fred Crentsil has not really endeared himself to this football mad country as a result of his not too impressive performances as boss of the Queens and the Starlets. Phobian fanatics do not sing his praises that much either during his time as the Chief Executive Officer. Felix Ansong is the quiet and affable type but would these attributes do the job at such a difficult time for the FA? In my humble opinion, the FA needs a warrior not a queen.

Beyond this group of gentleman is the larger executive committee of the FA. That draws in the likes of Lawyer Kweku Eyiah, Wilfred Osei Kwaku(Palmer), Fred Pappoe, Randy Abbey and co together with the Regional bosses and the sweet Madam Leanier Addy. Don’t get your mind racing please. The regional bosses are as good as where they are. No more than that. Eyiah, fine gentleman from Mfantsipim and an astute lawyer he is. The complexities of this position would mean that for someone who is relatively new on the scene from a managerial perspective (gather he is the brain behind almost all the female national teams) this may be a bit too early. I am not in any way saying he can cut it. I have truck loads of respect for him and I think he would do a fine job if he is considered but knowing who he is and his principles, he would want to be his own man there.With several interest groups in there, he would not want to fall victim to any machinations. That leaves Messrs Randy, George and Pappoe in the mix.

Only a visitor from Kolsomoskaya who may not have any access to the internet and is also not likely to know a jack about Ghana Football would front for Mr Abbey. From what I gather, he is being fingered for all Kwesi’s Nyantekyi’s “problems”. I do not know why these allegations are being made against my senior from The Accra Academy but it’s a long shot to be honest. What I do know is that the man I revere and call senior is said to be very powerful as a friend to the first family (that is what people say oooo) and with this clout everything could be possible. What I do not know of is whether he is interested in the position or the bigger picture. Don’t pretend to not know what I am referring to.

Then there is Pappoe. The dade man. The grandson of a fisherman. A combination of a tough and affable character. A good mix of both. Looks like Presec and KNUST may have done the trick. He is passionate about what he does. A solid career administrator and an experienced football person. Two finals (CAN & CHAN) and a world cup quarter final is a massive achievement for anyone. A proven deliverer, why on earth would he not deliver when given a second chance?

Millionaire businessman George Afriyie is your definition of loyalty. He would back his bosses with all he earned in his 17-year sojourn of “the land of the rising sun’. You only have to follow the various football discussions and you would appreciate him the more. Brain behind Gamba All Blacks, Silver and Bronze winning chairman with the Black Satellites from Algeria and Turkey in 2013 and he is not far from an achiever. Solid man management from what I saw of him in Turkey after the side lost their first two games and were on the verge of elimination. He still believed that the team would end up in the top three. That is the man. His critics though accuse him of being overly loyal to his boss which they claim clouds his judgement on several issues.

Could go to any of the last two but whoever gets it would have an uphill task of wining over the hearts and minds of the nation. How an AFCON win in President Obiang’s Equatorial Guinea would make him the toast of all and sundry.