Cleaning house: Kwasi Nyantakyi's consolidation party

GFA president Kwasi Nyantakyi has been accused of many things but a lack of street smarts is not one of them.As he entered the conference room at the headquarters of the building that houses his embattled association,he exchanged greeting,hugs and smiles with journalists who had been quickly assembled for a press conference.

 A man under the kosh for the stalled league and perceived lack of growth in the domestic game was turning on the charm offensive as he prepared to announce changes that he had promised to make five months previously but had some how gotten too busy to effect.

Top of the announcements was the appointment of George Kwasi Afriyie as the choice of the Executive Committee to replace him as chairman of the Black stars management committee,followed by his vice Fred Crenstil's elevation to the newly created portfolio of General Coordinator of all national teams,Wilfred Osei Kwaku was named as head of the national Under 20 team,the Black Satellites  whilst Kweku Ayiah,a legal practitioner was named to the Black Starlets committee while Randy Abbey was moved to the Black Queens among others.

To the uninitiated this might look pretty random but it is far from. There is a very systematic and well planned method attached to this reassignment process. Nyantakyi is facing the most difficult period of his tenure with critics circling and challenging his plans and legitimacy especially with an election imminent in 2015.Several members of his Executive Committee are thought not to be as loyal as they once were and as Nyantakyi himself revealed recently in an interview,executive committee members are the source of several leaks that have plagued his administration.

In essence trust is a scarce commodity at the halls of the association.

Nyantakyi used this reshuffle to close ranks and draw his allies close whilst handing them the crown jewels of the association. Take George Afriyie for example. A man long considered the right hand man of Nyantakyi,he is his most vocal defender and is also not ambitious enough to try and make a move on the presidency while Nyantakyi is still in the frame,same can be said of Crenstil,Osei and Kweku Eyiah. These three men now control the three most powerful national teams in the country while perceived challenger Randy Abbey was pushed to the Black Queens. No offence meant but that is the wilderness of football management,particularly for one as ambitious as Abbey. Achievements in women's football are few and far between and most importantly barely register on the football radar. Nyantakyi's hand is even more impressive because a refusal by Abbey to manage the team will be spun out in several ways in the press,none of which will be to his advantage as he quietly nurses his ambitions.

Nyantakyi has in one swoop consolidated the ranks of his troops ahead of even more trying to times.

He better pray the line holds.