Ishmael Mensah Blog of Thursday, 21 November 2024
Source: Ishmael Mensah
On November 28, the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram will conduct a retreat, according to the Ghana Football Association's (GFA) announcement.
This comes after the Executive Council met on November 21 to discuss the Black Stars' inability to earn a spot in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) competition. Ghana will not be participating in the AFCON, which will be held in Morocco next year, for the first time in twenty years.
With only three points from six games—three draws and three losses—the Black Stars, who previously won the AFCON in 1982, came in bottom in Group F. "In response to the passion and concerns from members and stakeholders of Ghana Football, as well as the wider public, the GFA will hold a retreat inviting all relevant stakeholders," the GFA said in a statement, acknowledging the people's concern.
Groups like the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana (PFAG), the National Sports Authority, the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG), the media, former players and captains, coaches, fans, and other sports-related professionals like marketers, economists, doctors, and opinion leaders like traditional rulers will all be invited. There will also be representatives from important government agencies and ministries, including the Ghana Revenue Authority, the Ghana Tourism Authority, and the Ministries of Education, Sports, and Finance.
In order to develop a strategic plan for enhancing the performance of the Black Stars and other national teams, the retreat will seek feedback from stakeholders.
The GFA statement went on to say, "The results of this retreat will help inform the development of a roadmap to enhance the performance of our national teams."
Along with announcing a meeting with head coach Otto Addo the day before the retreat, the GFA also confirmed the dissolution of the Black Stars Management Committee.
The GFA promised to strive for future advancements and thanked the Ghanaian people for their patience and support.