By Jeremiah Nutsugah
Former Sports Minister, Nii Lante Vanderpuye, has expressed his lack of confidence in the Black Stars, attributing it to the team’s autonomy in decision-making.
Following the disappointing performance of the Black Stars in this year’s AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire, resulting in Ghana’s elimination after a 2-2 draw against Mozambique, Vanderpuye dated 24th January, 2024 shared his perspective during an interview on the Focus show on Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC).
He emphasized the negative impact of corruption and a lackadaisical attitude at the top level on national football, highlighting the need to address these issues to improve the state of the sport.
“People want football success to overshadow our political and economic challenges, but this approach won’t yield positive results,” he commented.
Comparing Ghana’s past AFCON victories to recent performances, Vanderpuye attributed past success to meticulous management, resource utilization, and well-handled technical staff.
In contrast, he pointed out the current ill-preparedness and lack of consistency in recent tournaments.
Highlighting the importance of consistency in team building, Vanderpuye noted that the team’s inconsistent structure and failure to instill confidence in players have hindered their performance.
“Between the 2010 AFCON in Angola, where we played very well, and now, we haven’t been able to build a stable team due to inconsistency. We’ve used over 300 players, and only Dede Ayew and his brother Jordan Ayew have shown consistency,” he stated.
Vanderpuye called for an end to the monetization of the national team, asserting that it has primarily benefited officials and political activists, urging a shift towards building a more stable and consistent team.
