Former Black Stars coach Charles Kwablan Akonnor has urged the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to implement a structural reset of the country’s national teams in order to reverse the declining fortunes of Ghanaian football.
Akonnor’s remarks come in the wake of the Black Stars’ failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), marking the first time in two decades that Ghana will miss the tournament. The failure has sparked a national debate on the state of the country's football, particularly the underperformance of the national teams in recent years.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Akonnor, who coached Ghana from 2019 to 2021, emphasized that a comprehensive, long-term plan was essential for the revival of the sport in the country.
“We need to have a plan that goes beyond profitability. We need to focus on youth football,” Akonnor stated. “If we don’t do it now, we are already late. We have to look at our Under-17, Under-20, the Black Stars B, and then the senior national team.”
Ghana’s failure to qualify for AFCON 2025 came after a 1-1 draw with Angola, leaving the Black Stars with no chance of advancing. This marks the third consecutive disappointing AFCON campaign, following group-stage exits in both 2021 and 2023.
Despite the Black Stars winning gold at the African Games in March, the country’s youth teams, including the Black Starlets and Black Satellites, have also struggled, failing to make a significant impact in their respective tournaments.
Reflecting on the challenges, Akonnor pointed to the successes of previous generations and the need to revisit the grassroots approach that nurtured some of Ghana's greatest players.
“If we don’t start strategizing properly, we’ll continue to talk about the decline of Ghana football, just like we are doing now. Where did the Asamoah Gyans, the Stephen Appiahs, and the Laryea Kingstons come from?” Akonnor asked. “From the Under-17. Laryea Kingston and Godwin Attram knew each other and had been playing together since they were 10 years old. That’s how you build cohesion and progression, and when the country needed them, they delivered.”
Akonnor’s call for a strategic reset of Ghana’s football infrastructure echoes the growing concern among fans and experts alike that without significant changes, the country’s footballing future remains uncertain.
The Black Stars will wrap up their AFCON 2025 qualifiers with a match against Niger on Monday, but with qualification already out of reach, the game will have little bearing on the outcome of Group F.
