GORAN, WHAT CAN YOU DO THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE FOR 3 DECADES?

Dearest maniac chieftains all around 'ball krom', all ye unadulterated Fabulous addicts,a happy new year to all of you, as you no doubt rejoice with me for are these not the times that we so love and cherish as we get giant helpings of soccer cuisines from the African pots and pans, yes we get our blissful 3 weeks don't we and let's thank God for His mercies galore, and lovingkindnesses plenty. Like we all know the trophy has been but a fleeting illusion that we've persued but haven't attained for a whole 3 decades and we are whipping up a fever like it's our divine right to win it this time simply because of the length of barrenness and this assumption of succesive progress with the reasoning that we were 3rd in ''08,2nd in '10 so we must naturally become champs in'12. Then there are those that say Egypt, Cameroun,Nigeria and South Afruca are absent so we stand a better chance of winning and that smacks of mediocrity, imagine Ali trying to avoid Frazier and Foreman and yet wanting to be called 'the greatesr', since when did mighty Ghana fear any foe, a country that beat the hosts Tunisia in the final of '65 [21 st November,my brither Akwasi was born on that superb Osei Kofi and co. Sunday] .THE HOTTER THE BATTLE IS THE SWEETER THE VICTORY.As to the successive progression theory, yes we went to the finals in '10 yet let's speak the truth, the Togolese got shot at and it favoured us and so to me the 'math' ain't too straight forward.You know how 'wild' Adebayo was at the time and after losung 1-3 to the Ivorians, how 'lucky' we were to just have to dispose of Bourkina Faso and we'd be in the next round.

3 decades and there were high points and miserable ones to be frank.How majestic the '92 squad was. We really enjoyed that oasis iin the fiirst decade of our desert 'trod'.Abedi grounding Zambia and Nigeria with his top gangsters in their element.How Emmanuel Armah 'Senegal' would clear Kalusha's goalbound shot from off the line [no one knows where Armah 'flew' from to do us that memorable service in Senegal,every one say 'Armah Senegal in Senegal, ooh boy]. Then Tony Yeboah single handedly intercepted the Egyptians' last minute mocking inter defensive passes and did his manouvering and slotted the left footer and time was up and wasn't that a bomb, Lord have His mercy!The Ivorians spoilt our '94 party with Abdulaye Traore and co at their cup defence best that no one remembers this CK Ackunor thunderbolt 30 yarder freekick which Gouamaine had no answer to, and it was Kalusha who having lost all his former team mates prior the tourney, came with a fresh Zambia and this genius through pass that Kalusha gave Malitoli which drew great Alain Gouamaine from off his goal line for the striker to send the Ivorians packing back to Abidjan, yes it was Zambia who gave us some nicely spiced khebabs,are we not maniacs?The rivalry with the Ivorians was at an all time high and in the '96 opening match in South Africa we at last got our sweet well packaged revenge with Tony Yeboah getting a dream sideways bat to Sam Johnson's pull out from the left wing and Yeboah connected the waist high ball with great acrobatic finesse, it was a blockbuster and Abedi Pele refusing to be outdone also gave us a rare right footed whack after mesmerising his marker and how delicious it was and that was our meat for '96 [ to hell with the cup,Mandela we are pleased to have you take it,ha,ha,].

Abedi Pele announced his international retirement in the midst of the '98 war and demoralised all hands and Togo sent us packing.The coach Rinus Israel is reported to have refused Abedi's suggestions concerning some lopsided selections that he was churning out and Abedi was disappointed and lost his cool and retired when he hadn't done the full course for Ghana.Where are you going to get a next man with Abedi's 60's 'agoro nana' make up? Low,way down times, with Ablade Kumah and Arthur Moses 'rotting' on the bench.We lost great schemer kum striker Shamo Quaye the November 30th preceding the January tourney and death had robbed Ghana of an industrious talent.The real example of an expatriate coach leading us all by the nose.So we entered the next decade Abedi Peleless and the less said about the 2000 and 2002 outings the better but guru Osam Duodu went to Bamako' 02 without Charles Kweku Asampong Bismark Barnieh Taylor and it was an unpardonable misrepresentation of the Ghanaian talent.[we are experts at wasting God given talents], one sinful omission and the plane tumbles down..Nigeria tumbled us down and we were deep in the desert not a drop of water anywhere in sight as we couldn't even represent in '04 and '06 was way down low parched times with us at our lopsided selection best, we didn't even proceed beyond the group stages and that was when Gyan,Essien and Muntari were injured yet I in a column entitled 'Doya ain't got a clue I'll give him a couple' yes I told all and sundry that we still had enough ammunition in the persons of Louis Agyemang and Baba Adamu Armando and Doya was not on my wavelength only for Armando to come and score some magical goal for all to take note but Louis wasn't used and believe you me those were very boring times when we journalsts were far smarter than the 'great all knowing' Ghana Black Stars coach.Everyone say 'Black Star coach get post oooh,no be joke proper post to rule us well,well,whether for better or for worse' and people actually lost their lives because Ghana slacked.

Then there was a revolution in winning bonuses and come and see real mercenaries.We did a couple of stunts at the '06 World Cup but lost 0-3 to Brazil and again sinful ommissions of Baba Armando,Charles Taylor and Isaac Boakye made us a laughing stock in Brazil.Can you imagine unleashing Charles Taylor on Ronaldinho? When it was time for substitutions in this big time match come and see 'tiny tots' like Alex Tachie Mensah coming on ,it was total coaching bankruptcy of original selection of squad. Still Black Stars was the place to be for Goldfields Gh.Limited had really spiced up the winning bonuses and thank God for that.Maximum respect to those involved.

Operation host and win in Ghana '08 saw the introduction of Holland born Quincy Owusu Abeyie and that was an inspired decision and Quincy was at his'akwadaa bone' best.Namibia was teaching us sense and Asamoah Gyan was leaking badly and it took Quincy to give Agogo the through pass for the lone goal viictory and Gyan was insulted to the blues and we met Nigeria in a beautiful semi final in Accra and we got a red card and Nigeria got the early goal and we were 'hot' in Accrra with Uche giving us hell. At the stroke of halftime [just like in Senegal'92],yes, Quincy did his shuffle on the left and sent this delectable glider of a left footer and Essien soared whilst the Nigerians were still looking at Quincy and the header hit the left post and trickled in and salvaged Accra..Quincy sent a magnificent backheel which breached the defence but poor ball control denied Agogo the obvious goal, yes Quincy was really a breath of fresh air and he ran like a hurricane through the Ivorian troop to score picturesquely in the 4-2 bronze medal match in Kumasi and if truth be told in the match with Cameroun, Quincy was all alone to Muntari's left and just a pass from Sulley would enable Quincy to push the ball once and bear down on the 'keeper and a second touch to nick it beyond into the net but Muntari didn't give the pass and selfishly tried tio revolve clockwise and fire and he stumbled and fell like a log and am I not Chief Maniac and Emperor of Utopia [yet it was Muntari who wept most prifoundly in the 'host and weep' and I was looking at him silently,Walahi he didn't give Quincy the through pass]. Quincy had stolen all the maniacs hearts for he had brought back some of the fancy stuff that we were used to in the Abedi era ,no doubt about it Abeyie was on his own wavelength. and calling his name zooms me to the present time when we are making our assault on the title.

Let me be very frank with you for no Serbian can lead me by the nose like Rinus Israel and Doya did in times past.Goran is not cleverer than me in player analysis,who has he seen whilst growing up and all you journalists who are 36 yrs and below, you aint seen and savoured an African cup win before.Abedi Pele and Tony Yeboah were the scanty leftovers from the,James Adjei's,BabaYara's,Ofei Dodoo's, Mfums,to the OseiKofi's [there is not his like in letting defenders sit on their bums] Ibrahim Sunday the immaculate 'don't touch me' specialist who could hang unto the ball for 'ages' and you lie,dart from any angle and you'll miss the ball and man like a river in full flow,whaaat[Africa's best 1970],Yaw Sam ,Malik,Christian Madus,Ahmed Polo[a mesmeriser who had all the crowd in his pocket,fantasy soccer was our llot from when this guy hit the scene in 1972 and immediately wins 'footballer of the year in '73, this was our lot] oh boy, before you talk about Abdul Razak[1978 Afica best],Albert Asaase,Adolf Armah, Robert Hammond,,Mama Acquah Anas Seidu,Opoku Nti[he was called Tarkwa Polo when he was with Tarkwa Gold Stars] and Opoku Afriyie, I beg you sir wherever that goal was hidden Afriyie would fetch us it.Ceasefire Natty,cease fire for how can you who has seen only Abedi and Tony know how to identify a champion player better than the old Kromantins,everyoone say 'old kro's'.And in allegiance to your Godfather Abedi you campaign for even Jordan yet haven't got the wherewithal to see that Quincy is dreader than both the Ayew brothers and you know not that you do Ghana a disservice when you badmouth him in your attempt to elevate Dede and how beautiful it would be if we had these 2 gems playing alongside each other,for BLACK STARS IS A KINGS' TEAM and I am informing you all who have all not had the grace of God for to see this blatant fact[sometimes when honours are destined to pass you by you will throw your baby away with the bath water and an obvious fact shall dribble you for there are realms and there are realms].Dede Ayew can never outclass Quincy and ye trumpet Dede and shun Quincy and Natty will tell all and sundry, those of you who know me well know that I never get these things wrong[you know how I campaigned for Asamoah Gyan in 2005 when you didn't really know him].Yes I gave Gyan a crisp midfield incisor to the left edge of the '18'[just like Derek Boateng did against Brazil] and the speed with which he went and caught the'aponkye brake' ,manouver the ball and toss it for a youth to head 3 inches over the bar set Kari-Kari Park alight[park dey rock], and just that move let me see how authentic he was,I never get these things wrong.Dede is a very good player but when Quincy is in the same team with Dede there is no way that Dede can outshine him Walahi, have you forgotten how Dede affectionately followed him to hail the crowd after he got that last few minutes winner against Latvia pre S.A? I cannot be a liar but please don't push that misrepresentation that Dede is the best player in Ghana down my throat for I swear I never get these things wrong,so already I am peeved with Goran for not being 'higher hieghts' but he is very resolute asking questions like'how many of you know Abu Mohammed,how many of you know Charles Takyi?You must know by now my views that Quincy's ommission from the Ghana/Uruguay match cost us the World Cup,even great Kevin Prince Boateng couldn' breach the Uruguayan defence within 90 minutes but I was telling you that there was no winning of the World Cup without QUINCY'S ACTIVE PARTICIPATION.This however is the Africa Cup, on a slightly lower pedestal than the Big one so though I'd have a feast of a genourous helping of Ghanaian cuisine with Quincy there, nothing stops us from winning it because still'Ghanaian Boy's,the Best.I'll watch with heartache knowing I can expect nothing fancy, just that boring hard to score game then Muntari has popped it in,then Gyan has done his thing but still 'hard to score' Oh my God my meat has been taken out of my mouth but I can still enjoy my dried herrings in my palmnut soup can't I?Well I really got no choice but I wish all the Ghanaian boys who wear that expensive jersey that Baba Yara and Robert Mensah have worn[players with stadia named after them] yes each player remind yourself with the motto GHANAIAN BOYS,THE BEST.everyone say 'Ghanaian Boys the best'.As for Goran the Nsawam condemned cells have raised their fangs and claws at him, the executioners are still sharpening their swords, they intend to chop of your dainty head.Forewarned is forearmed. Quincy was my sure banker in the lottery, GORAN ARE YOU SURE YOUR NUMBERS CAN WIN THE LOTTERY WHEN THE DRAW IS PRESSED?Ghana say him starve too much and you got the keys to the granary,you got the keys. Now show us that action speaks louder than words or be forever damned.LORD HAVE MERCY ON US ALL[FOR PRAYERS SHALL DESPERATELY ASCEND] HA,HA, ENJOY YOURSELVES!!!