For ten years the Black Stars of Ghana has enjoyed its best spell in international football since the golden era of the 1960s. But I’m afraid that that Golden decade has ended and Ghana might slide into bareness if the transition is not tactfully handled.
This article has been sitting on my computer for months now, but I have decided to publish it now not because Ghana has lost its opening game at Afcon 2015. Rather it is because when the truth is unavoidable someone has to tell it. So here’s the truth…
Starting from the sizzling World Cup qualifiers in 2005 leading to a first ever appearance at the FIFA World Cup, Ghana has made three straight World Cup appearances, finishing with respectable Quarterfinals, Second round and first round exits in 2006, 2010 and 2014 respectively- the best record by an African nation at the FIFA World Cup. The African Cup of nations continued to elude Ghana with this period but still the Black Stars were losing finalists, and three-time semi finalists. In international football terms it has been an incredible decade for Ghana’s senior national team.
But I’m afraid that that Golden decade has ended and Ghana would have to start the process of transition to avoid the disrepair that devastated other teams who found themselves in a similar position previously. Football has always been a Sport of cycles and team dynasties that rise and fall. Recent events in world football with Spain’s World Cup flop and in Club football Barcelona’s struggles after the Guardiola era are most recent examples.
I am not proclaiming doom and anyone who has followed the development of the Senior National Team would know that the Black Stars have reached the end of an era. An age that saw the emergence of two great teams; the 2006-2008 team led by Stephen Appiah and the 2010-2014 team lead by John Mensah/Asamoah Gyan. Most of the key players of those periods have since retired or been sidelined from international football. Although members of the 2009 FIFA Under-20 World Cup winning team were tipped to hold the fort for years, a lack of a reliable pool of top talent to complement them has meant that post-2010; the Black Stars have lacked consistency and flattered to deceive. So after the heights of reaching the World Cup quarterfinals in 2010, Brazil 2014 turned out to be a disaster! Some extraneous variables may have been to blame for the team’s capitulation in Brazil, but the trend of Ghana’s recent dip is symptomatic of a team that has reached the end of a successful cycle.
It’s not unique to Ghana. Many of Africa’s great teams have yielded to this inevitable process.
Cameroon’s golden decade was 1984 t0 1994 during which they dominated African football and represented the continent well at the FIFA World Cup. The indomitable Lions reached 3 Afcon finals, winning 2 titles (1984, 1988) and made 2 Appearances at the World Cup (1990, 1994) or 3 if 1982 is to be counted. The highlight of that era was the run to the Quarter final at Italia 1990. Following the heights of that successful campaign Cameroon reached the Afcon semi-final in 1992. But by the time World Cup 1994 came around the end of the golden era was evident. They exited the first round and limply repeated the same for their next 3 world cup appearances. The second Golden era was between 2000 and 2002 during which the Cameroonians won back-to-back Afcon titles. Since then Cameroon have struggled. Their appearance at Afcon 2015 is their first since 2010 when they were knocked out by winners Egypt.
Nigeria knows all about the struggles that come after a golden era. From the mid 1990s to early 2000 Nigeria played the best football in Africa and produced some of the most exciting players in the world. The only team that prevented Nigeria from winning more Afcon titles during this period was Nigeria itself. The Super Eagles were an intimidating presence not only in Africa but on the World stage. At the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cups only complacency and lapses in concentration halted the Nigerian Juggernaut in the second round. This successful era was followed by a first round exit at Japan/Korea 2002, failure to reach Germany 2006 and made an inauspicious appearance when the home continent hosted the World in 2010. Then against all expectations Nigeria returned to win the Afcon in 2013. They have failed to reach the 2015 Afcon and may for many years struggle to reproduce the glory of the 1990s.
Lastly, Africa’s greatest Afcon team, Egypt have hit rock bottom after a period of unmatched continental dominance. People have struggled to explain the demise of Egypt since their unprecedented treble of Afcon titles between 2006 and 2010. They have since the last title not been able to reach the Afcon competition. Again while extraneous variables like political instability may have had a hand, it’s obvious that the great team captained by Ahmed Hassan was the end of an era for the Pharaohs.
So, returning to Ghana, the Black Stars are the brink at the moment. The question is whether the next few years would be a barren spell during which the nation is left with only memories of the last decade? Ghanaians have been there before and it was not pleasant. The exit of Abedi Pele and co from the National team at the dawn of the new millennium was followed by a painful spell of disappointments for Ghana and its National team. A first round exit at the Afcon in 1998 was followed by quarterfinal exits on home soil in 2000 and at Mali 2002 before a humiliating failure to reach the 2004 tournament after being knocked out by Rwanda during qualifying. What stares Ghana football in the face is obvious. So rather than remain defiant and play the ostrich, regardless of how the current campaign in Equatorial Guinea turns out Ghana football needs a very good plan for the next decade. The technical and administrative steps the Ghana football Association decides to take after Afcon 2015 will be crucial.
By: Sammy Bartels
email: [email protected]