Former Black Stars striker Prince Tagoe has alleged that the current administration of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has been infiltrated by organised interest groups, or “cartels.”
Over the years, the GFA has faced accusations of corruption, lack of transparency, and undue interference, leading many Ghanaian football fans to call for the resignation of President Kurt Okraku, while others demand significant reforms.
Tagoe, a member of Ghana’s 2004 Confederations Cup squad, in an interview on Sports Desk on GhanaWeb TV alleged that the interference of these interest groups in the work of coaches puts immense pressure on them when managing the Black Stars.
He pointed to former Black Stars coach Kwasi Appiah as an example.
“There are cartels at the GFA. If one day Kwasi Appiah would be honest and tell the truth about being a coach of the national team and the people he worked with, he would share the kind of pressure he faced,” Tagoe said.
He further alleged that coaches who refuse to comply with the demands of these groups risk losing their jobs.
“If a coach comes and doesn’t listen to these ‘cartels’ surrounding the team, then when results start to go south, they’ll find a way to get rid of him,” he added.
In October 2019, Kurt Okraku was elected President of the GFA, raising hopes for a revival following the damaging Anas exposé that tarnished the image of Ghanaian football.
However, the senior national team’s poor performances have reignited allegations of corruption within the association.
On Friday, 15 November, Ghana’s hopes of qualifying for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations ended with a 1-1 draw against Angola in Luanda, further fuelling criticism of Kurt Okraku’s leadership.
Sports Check with Prince Tagoe: The fall of the Black Stars and captaincy brouhaha
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