Isaac Tetteh criticises GFA leadership, says Ghana football has declined over the years

Popular businessman and football administrator Isaac Tetteh, widely known as TT Brothers, has launched a scathing attack on the Ghana Football Association (GFA), accusing its leadership of prioritising personal interests over the development and success of Ghanaian football.

The former Welfare Manager of Accra Hearts of Oak believes the country's football has regressed significantly over the past three decades and called for greater accountability from those in charge of the game.

Speaking to the media while reflecting on the Black Stars' campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Tetteh questioned the decision to dismiss former head coach Otto Addo after he guided Ghana to qualification for the tournament.

According to him, Addo deserved the opportunity to lead the team at the World Cup, arguing that continuity would have produced better results.

"In the first place, Otto Addo should not have been sacked after qualifying Ghana for the World Cup. He earned the country more than $10 million through qualification and should have been given the chance to continue," Tetteh said.

He insisted that Ghana's Round of 32 finish at the tournament should not be celebrated as a major achievement, noting that the Black Stars reached the quarter-finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and should be striving to surpass that feat rather than settling for less.

Tetteh also rejected suggestions that his preference for a local coach was based on nationality, explaining that he simply believed the coach who qualified the team deserved the opportunity to complete the journey.

"I am not a racist, but I believe the Ghanaian who qualified the team should have been allowed to lead the World Cup campaign. If the football authorities had been patient, fully supported him and stopped interfering, the team could have performed much better," he added.

The founder of Pure Joy FC further expressed concern over the limited representation of locally based players in the national team, pointing out that only one Ghana Premier League player—Accra Hearts of Oak goalkeeper Benjamin Asare—featured for the Black Stars at the World Cup.

He argued that the lack of local talent in the national team reflects the poor state of the domestic league, which he believes has not been developed into a competitive and attractive competition.

Drawing comparisons with South Africa, Tetteh praised the strength of the country's domestic league, noting that the majority of its World Cup squad consisted of home-based players.

"South Africa had about 90 per cent of its World Cup squad coming from its local league because their competition is strong and of high quality. That is the direction Ghana should be aiming for," he stated.

Tetteh did not spare the GFA leadership, saying they should "bow their heads in shame" over what he described as the steady decline of Ghana football.

According to him, interest in the sport and the football business has diminished over the past 30 years while a small group of individuals continue to benefit at the expense of the wider football community.

"People should work hard and do genuine business instead of engaging in football corruption," he stressed.

He added that accountability would eventually catch up with those responsible for the game's administration.

"They think we are fools, but we are not. One day they will be held accountable because you cannot plant corn and harvest cassava," he said.

Tetteh further questioned why the GFA has been unable to transform the Ghana Premier League into a commercially attractive and competitive competition despite the continued popularity of the Black Stars.

He concluded that the association's performance does not justify another term in office, insisting that Ghana football has fallen far behind other nations that continue to invest in and develop the game.