Ernest Thompson warns against dissolving GFA after Black Stars' AFCON qualifying struggles

A former member of the Black Stars Management Committee, Ernest Thompson, has warned against calls to dissolve the Ghana Football Association (GFA) following the team's poor start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Ghana have lost their opening two Group C matches, prompting calls from some politicians and football figures for the GFA to be dissolved.

Former Sports Minister Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye and Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations Minister Samuel Nartey George are among those who have backed calls for major changes within the association.

But Thompson says dissolving the GFA could create further problems because of the risk of breaching Fifa's regulations on government interference in football administration.

"Something has to be done about the GFA," Thompson told Joy FM.

However, he said the immediate priority should be to bring the relevant stakeholders together to identify and address the problems facing Ghana football.

Thompson said he would not support another period of normalisation, which could result from the dissolution of the GFA.

Instead, he called on Sports Minister Kofi Adams, potentially with the involvement of Parliament's Committee on Youth and Sports, to facilitate discussions between the various parties.

He pointed to previous crisis meetings in Winneba and other interventions where people from outside football were brought in to help resolve disputes.

"The GFA must accept that there are challenges and be willing to accept help," he said.

Thompson also questioned the process used to select the Black Stars squad for their opening AFCON qualifiers.

He claimed the Black Stars Management Committee did not meet to consider the squad before it was announced.

"Some of the committee members told me: 'We don't have anything to do with this list. We've washed our hands off the list,'" he said.

Thompson said the committee had previously reviewed proposed squads, questioned the coach and consulted the medical team before a final list was approved.

He believes that process was not followed ahead of the qualifiers against Ivory Coast and The Gambia.

"I sent messages on 23 September, a day before the Ivory Coast game, saying there were problems within the management structure of the team," he said.

"What I found was a complete disconnect between members of the Black Stars management team and some members of the GFA."

Thompson also questioned how several players were allowed to withdraw from the squad after being called up.

"How can you call players and then they withdraw?" he asked.

"Who issued the list and what medical checks were done before the list was released?"

Ghana's poor start has left them bottom of Group C without a point from their opening two matches.

The four-time African champions lost 2-0 to Ivory Coast in Bouake before surrendering a two-goal lead in a 4-2 defeat by The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The results came after Ghana had already missed the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Head coach Carlos Queiroz subsequently stepped down following the two defeats.

The Ghanaian authorities have since established a five-member committee to oversee the search for a new head coach. The committee is expected to submit its report to the Sports Ministry on Friday, 9 October.

The Black Stars will return to qualifying action in November with back-to-back matches against Somalia.