Ghanaian midfielder Mohammed Kudus has responded to Ghana's premature exit from the Africa Cup of Nations, acknowledging that the team bears full responsibility for a disappointing performance in Cote d'Ivoire.
Despite Ghana's overall struggles in the tournament, Kudus showcased brilliance on his debut, scoring two goals in the 2-2 draw against Egypt. He also earned Ghana a crucial penalty in the final match against Mozambique.
While Kudus' outstanding individual contributions shone through, they couldn't offset the impact of 'silly' mistakes in all three matches that ultimately led to the Black Stars' elimination.
Addressing the fans, Kudus expressed heartfelt regret: "To the heart and soul of Ghana. Falling short at my debut AFCON is a hard reality we face together, but as a playing body, we take full responsibility. We deeply regret not meeting your hopes this time. Your enduring support is our motivation to make you proud in the future," wrote the West Ham United star.
Kudus, who missed the opening defeat to Cape Verde, played a pivotal role in the last two matches, earning the Man of the Match awards for both games.
He is set to return to England this week to rejoin his West Ham teammates for the second part of the league.
Former Bayern Munich coach Felix Magath has shown keen interest in the vacant Ghana national team job following the dismissal of Chris Hughton.
Hughton, an Irish-Ghanaian, was sacked after Ghana's disappointing performance in the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where they exited at the group stage in Cote d'Ivoire.
The four-time African champions struggled in their three group games, culminating in a final-minute collapse in the last match, surrendering a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 and bow out of the tournament.
With Hughton's departure, a search committee was promptly formed to find a replacement, and Magath has expressed his interest in the position, as revealed by his agent Vukoja Josip.
"Felix Magath has a great interest in the Ghana national team," stated Vukoja Josip in an exclusive conversation with Ghanasoccernet.
Magath, 70, boasts extensive experience and a winning record, aligning with the criteria set by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) for the coaching position.
As a former successful footballer, Magath won three Bundesliga titles, the European Cup, UEFA European Championship, and earned two silver medals at the World Cup before transitioning to coaching.
His coaching career includes managing several clubs, primarily in Germany, and noteworthy achievements, including coaching Bayern Munich for three years, winning two Bundesliga titles and two DFB-Pokal (German Cups). Magath was also named German Football Manager of the Year three times.
The GFA has set a three-week deadline for the search committee to identify Hughton's replacement, making Magath a compelling contender with his impressive coaching credentials.
The Black Stars seek a fresh start, and Magath's reputation as a no-nonsense coach could bring out the best in the talented players.
Kwesi Nyantakyi, former Ghana Football Association (GFA) President, has endorsed the GFA's decision to dismiss Chris Hughton as the head coach of the Black Stars.
Hughton faced termination following the team's lackluster performance in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.
Despite Ghana's qualification under Hughton's guidance, the team fell short at the 34th edition in Ivory Coast, amassing two points in the group stage with a loss to Cape Verde and draws against Egypt and Mozambique.
Expressing his support for the decision, Nyantakyi remarked that Hughton's dismissal was warranted given the team's capabilities, stating, ” Hughton deserves to get sacked for the poor performance of the team,” Nyantakyi kyi told GTV sports plus.
"The team has quality players to perform better than what they did, and so I agree with the decision of the Ghana Football Association (GFA)."
In response to the coach's removal, the GFA has instituted a five-member committee tasked with selecting a new head coach for the Black Stars within the next three weeks.
Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) president, Kwesi Nyantakyi, has called on the current Kurt Okraku-led administration to issue an unqualified apology to Ghanaians for the disappointing performance of the Black Stars in Ivory Coast.
The national team faced an early exit from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), exiting at the group stage for the second time. Ghana suffered a defeat to Cape Verde and secured draws against Egypt and Mozambique, finishing third in Group B with two points.
In response to whether the Football Association should apologize, Nyantakyi, a former 1st CAF Vice President, emphasized the FA's responsibility to issue an apology.
"The national team does not belong to the Football Association. They are keeping it for the state, and remember the government gives the FA money to take care of the team, so it must be done," stated Nyantakyi on GTV Sports Plus.
"I have done it over and over when I was there as the Ghana Football Association president, so they must apologize, and I think Ghanaians are entitled to that. We apologized in 2010 and 2015 after we failed to win the AFCON," he added.
Following the Black Stars' disappointing AFCON campaign, which led to the dismissal of head coach Chris Hughton, the GFA has announced a five-member committee to search for a new coach for the national team.
Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) president Kwesi Nyantakyi has called on the current Black Stars squad to showcase resilience and embody a strong sense of national pride following their elimination from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Expressing his thoughts on GTV Sports Plus, Nyantakyi, a former FIFA Executive Council member, expressed disbelief at the team's performance, resulting in their exit after finishing third in Group B with two points.
In his address, Nyantakyi emphasized the significance of instilling a sense of national duty in the players, urging them to play with pride and belief when representing the Black Stars.
Highlighting the need for additional support, he recommended the introduction of a psychologist to assist in the players' mental preparation. Nyantakyi stressed the importance of collaborative efforts between the Football Association and the government to prioritize this initiative.
"Black Stars players must understand that representing your country is like going to a war. You can die in it, and they must understand that," he asserted.
"I believe we need to instill that into the players when they are playing for the Black Stars; they must have that pride and belief.
"We should also bring in a psychologist to help the players, and this must be insisted on by the Football Association and government," he added.
Drawing inspiration from Namibia's remarkable resilience and performance, Nyantakyi underlined the need for the Black Stars to emulate such qualities.
"I watched Namibia, and I could not believe their resilience and how they played."
Ghana initiated their AFCON campaign with a 2-1 loss to Cape Verde, followed by two consecutive 2-2 draws in their final group stage matches.
Ghanaian defender Daniel Amartey has dismissed allegations suggesting that he removed his Black Stars pictures from Instagram due to frustration over limited playing time during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast.
Reports circulating during Ghana's AFCON group stage matches implied that Amartey was dissatisfied with Coach Chris Hughton's choice of other center-backs over him.
Despite a search on Instagram revealing an account with Daniel Amartey's name and verification badge, devoid of pictures in a Black Stars jersey, the former Leicester City player clarified in an interview with Happy FM that the account does not belong to him.
Amartey categorically refuted accusations that he deleted Black Stars pictures out of anger for not being in the playing XI. He emphasized the childish nature of such an action and pointed out his infrequent Instagram posts.
“Why will I get angry and delete my Black Stars pictures from pictures? That will be childish. I was not angry when I was not playing. That was the decision of the coach. People who follow me will know I barely post on Instagram,” stated Daniel Amartey.
In addition, the Black Stars defender affirmed his ongoing commitment, expressing readiness to give his best whenever called upon to serve the national team.
