Ernest Thompson, a former Management Committee Member of the Black Stars, has expressed his displeasure of Ghana's inability to secure qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), describing it as extremely embarrassing.
The Black Stars failed to qualify to the continental showpiece for the first time in 21 years, annexing just three points from their six matches in Group F, which included Angola, Sudan, and Niger.
Speaking on Joy Sports, Thompson, a former chairman of the Ghana FA Legal Committee was straightforward when asked about his remarks on the situation.
“Simply put, the situation we find ourselves in is extremely embarrassing. Of course, we've missed the AFCON about six times. I remember when Rwanda took us off [in 2003] and we couldn't go to one [in 2004], but this is extremely embarrassing for a lot of reasons, none the least being the fact that the team itself is not playing well,” he said.
“If the team is playing well and we don't qualify, that's football, but the team is not playing well and has not been playing well for a very long time. I can put my foot down and say that maybe after Brazil [2014 World Cup], we have not been good, and I can say that maybe there's something wrong somewhere.
“Fortunately for me, I have access. I have spoken to the people at the top of the FA, I have spoken to some of our past foreign coaches, and it's extremely embarrassing the kind of things we hear.
“What is important for now is that we need cool heads and to take drastic decisions. If we don't have the leaders to take the drastic decisions, we will just tingle with things and we will be where we are,” Thompson warned.
“There’s light at the end of the tunnel, but it depends on what decisions we take now because what I hear talking to them is extremely frightening. Unfortunately, my good friends at the FA; those at the top have brought something upon themselves, and if they don’t take care, the fire will engulf them.”
Regardless of the shame, the former Hearts of Oak capo sees a chance for the GFA to reorganize and rebuild Ghana football.
“So it’s extremely embarrassing, but we should take what has happened now as an opportunity to get things back. But it demands drastic decisions to be taken,” he concluded.
By: Pascal Amoah
