Former Black Stars forward Charles Taylor is the latest ex-footballer to oppose John Paintsil's claim that Ghana football is not on a decline as widely perceived.

Taylor acknowledged that Paintsil's assertion is his perspective of the state of football in the country, which needs to be respected.

Nonetheless, the former Asante Kotoko forward feels the country's football woes are too glaring for Paintsil to hold such an opinion.

"When someone is talking, he or she perceives to be saying the right thing until it is subjected to strict proof. That he (John Painstil) said something that we don't agree with doesn't mean he is wrong. But you have to look at the reality and ensure that your opinion reflects what is on the ground," he said on Angel TV.

"You can say Kurt is good and all those things, but being a former footballer and seeing how the system is now, you have to think twice," he added.

Paintsil made his claim on UTV's United Showbiz on Saturday, February 17, 2024, when he questioned the essence of the 'Save Ghana Football' protest.

He said that the protest focused on the Black Stars and GFA and not on the entirety of Ghana football.

He asserted that the GFA cannot be blamed for the woes of Ghana football as club owners have failed to adopt measures that will develop the game.

"Yeah, I saw it, but I didn't understand. Is it about Ghana football or the national team? Because there are two things, the national team is part of Ghana football so when you say we want to build our football as a nation, it starts from the clubs. It doesn't start from the FA," he said on UTV'.

"If you want to build football, it starts from the clubs. Colts, Third Division, Second Division, First Division and the Premier. If you look at the people who run football clubs in Ghana, if the GFA decide to stick to certain things, most of them wouldn't have football clubs to run."

He further sought clarity on whether the demonstration was against the Black Stars or Ghana football, adding that the Black Stars are not doing badly.

"They said it was Ghana football, but they did it after the Cup of Nations. So I want to know that is it Ghana football or Black Stars."

"That is what I don't understand. I need to know their point. If we are talking about Ghana football, then we are not talking about the national team. Even if we are talking about the Black Stars, they qualified for the World Cup. We have to accept that we are still building."

The 'Save Ghana Football' demonstration came off peacefully on February 14, 2024, with many Ghanaians showing up and walking through the streets of Accra with their placards to register their displeasure at the FA and government.


Watch Charles Taylor's assertion below from the 5th minute



EE/EK