The Black Stars deserves meritocracy

I have never seen the Black Stars win any trophy before, the closet I came to “fiili filli” was when Ghana hosted the rest of the continent in Accra in 2008. It was a historic competition; two beautifully built stadia and the other two traditional stadia renovated to international standards were amazing. No was left out in this euphoria of us hosting the nations cup and the prospect of us winning it was high. Thus the Ghana Football Association coined the tag-line “host and win. It was one that rallied us behind the national team despite the presence of the Ivorians, Egyptians and Nigerians which posed the biggest threat to our conquest. In the end we lost “host and win” and settled for bronze.

It was heartbreaking when I sat at the Osu stand and saw Dede Ayew at his show boating best at a time we were losing by a goal against Cameroon. I was a staunch critic of Claude le Roy who sent 18 year old Dede to nations cup, and I still felt it was one of the worst decisions he did together with the inclusions of the injured Shilla Illiasu. He was immature and I thought it was the football authorities' quest to replica his father's way into the national team.

Come January 2012, the Black Stars will be going to Gabon and one thing on the minds of many Ghanaians is to see the national team win a trophy. My generation has not seen us win any trophy, all we've seen is the junior national team making the nation proud. Two years ago we came close in Angola and lost out to the Pharaohs in the final. If the national team is to succeed the right thing must be done to see us win. One thing we have to get right is player selection, i.e. a merit based system. Ghana has some of the finest talents on the continents and one thing for sure is we don't learn football, we are born with it. Our best talent must be at our disposal because this our best bet to win the trophy. Our long time foes Nigeria, Egypt and Cameroon won't be there.

One thing has to be clear; the national team should not be a place for players to pick their form. The national team is our pride and we should allow the highest level of competition in the team and stop the tokenism we practice. Our football authorities should desist from this act of rewarding players into the national team because of past performance. At the 2006 world cup we took certain players who were not in the best of shapes for their clubs; the likes of Addoquaye Pappoe, Otto Addo, Razak Pimpong and Takyi Mensah were part of the team. It took our loss to Italy to bring in Shilla Illiasu and Habib Mohammed into the team and they justified their inclusion.

The same transpired at the 2010 world cup; Stephen Appiah, Muntari, etc were all in the team. I guess the selection of players for the team might have informed “Bra” Laryea's alleged bust-up with the coach. What might have gone through his head was; 'aaah many of the guys you called are not playing actively like me and still I won't be going to the world cup' [sic]. In the end it was those who were in fantastic form for club that delivered for us: Kwadwo Asamoah. Gyan, K.P. Boateng, and Dede.

We have an opportunity to redeem ourselves from this canker and win the nations cup. Ghanaians won't accept any excuses for failure and hence our best materials must be deployed. If it was names, then I guess Ballack will still be in the German squad and so would Ronaldinho have been for the Selecao at the Copa America. It's time we take bold steps towards those players who have served the team well in the past but now can't find their footing. A closer look must be taken at the likes of Painstil, Adiyah, Tagoe, Muntari, Mensah and Kingson. Our top striker is playing in the deserts of UAE and has only managed two goals. He went into the 2010 world cup in the best of shapes scoring thirteen goals for Renne and he delivered on the big stage. Kotoko's duo of Ahmed Toure and Nathaniel Asamoah are on fire and the technical team of the Black Stars must be looking at alternatives. Although the former is an Ivorian, he has pledged his willingness to play for Ghana and the FA must work had to finalize his transfer before the start of the tournament. Dominic Adiyah also plies his trade in a second tier of Turkish football. His signing was welcomed with pomp and pageantry by the club's fans who knew they have signed the best player at the U-20 world club. However till date he has not delivered for club in seven appearances.

Since the retirement of Frank Amankwah from the national team I have not seen any player who has maintained that level of consistency at the left-back position. It has been a problem since the 2006 nations cup together with the right-back spot. Painstil has done well but a closer look will tell us that its time Daniel Opare and Samuel Inkum are given the starting role. He has only managed seven appearances for Leicester City so far this season and has not been able to break into the first team. Harrison Afful of Esperance de Tunis is playing week in week out for the Tunisians and he has played in two successive finals of the CAF Champions League. He is the answer to our left-back crisis and its time we give him the chance. The new sensation Awal Mohammed of Kotoko could be a reliable back-up plan; He is a delight watch. Derrick Boateng has replaced Essien very well and if not for Essien's celebrity status I wouldn't have recalled we once had a player like Essien. Boateng was our best player against England, Brazil, and Nigeria; together with Agyemang Badu, they've formed a strong partnership in midfield. The addition of Emmanuel Frimpong won't spoil the broth; he has showed the desire to wear the Ghana jersey and its time we gave him his first cap.

I guess for now many Ghanaians have been comfortable seeing the handsome Adam Kwarasey in post. His starting role was signed against Brazil with those three fantastic saves from Ronaldinho. We will need Kingson as back-up for the tournament, but even adding him to the squad will be questionable since he has not featured for any club close to a year. Sammy Adjei will be a better option; he has been consistent for Hearts of Oak this season so far and was phenomenal in the “Super Clash” against Kotoko which the coach failed to attend.

It seems there is a personality clash between Kevin Boateng and Goran Stevanovic and that has resulted in the former's resignation. Together with Dede Ayew they have been our best players in Europe this season and we need those to make things happen at the nations cup.

Whatever the problems between Plavi and his two best players i.e. Kevin Boateng and Dede Ayew it has to be sorted out before January. We definitely need those two in the team. A midfield quartet of Agyemang Badu, Derick, KP Boateng and Dede Ayew is a winnable team. An amicable resolution must be sought to want seems a clash of super egos. In an era of transparency; it's time we are told the truth else we have no option than to swallow the rumors about some force contract with an agency.

Baring any injuries these players must be at the tournament ahead of the non-performing ones at club level: Kwarasey, Inkum, Afful, Opare,Vorsah, Addy, Badu, Dede, Derick, Frimpong, KP Boateng, Kwadwo Asamoah, Jordan Ayew and Nathaniel Asamoah. Local additions like Uriah Asante and Emmanuel Baffoe won't spoil the broth. The non-addition of local players will be a big indictment on our league. The FA must sit up and 'be bold' if we are to win this cup. I can't wait, let's go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!