Ernest Thompson and GFA President Kurt Okraku
Former Black Stars Management Committee member Ernest Thompson has called on the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to consult former captains of the national team to help address the ongoing decline in Ghanaian football.
Ghana’s failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations has sparked widespread displeasure among fans, who continue to criticize the GFA’s current administration. On Wednesday, November 20, 2024, the GFA announced a retreat with football stakeholders to discuss the challenges facing the Black Stars.
However, just two days before the event, the GFA rescheduled it.
In an interview with Happy FM, Thompson expressed that while a retreat with the media is a welcome idea, engaging with former Black Stars captains, who have a deep understanding of the team, would be instrumental in restructuring the national team.
He argued that relying solely on internal ideas makes it challenging to run the association effectively.
“In football, one person cannot do it all. You need to consult people. You need to talk to journalists, engage the media, and even consult the former captains. A lot of them are available—Tony Baffoe, Stephen Appiah, Asamoah Gyan, John Mensah. You need to reach out to them, have discussions, and ask what we’re doing wrong or what we’re not doing right,” he stated.
Thompson also noted that while he has heard about the GFA’s intentions to hold consultations, he believes they have the period between November and December 2024 to have these consultations but should also be made a permanent process.
“They seem to be trying to have consultations, from what I’m hearing, but more discussions need to take place. They have the whole of November and December to deliberate and find a way forward. However, this needs to be a continuous process,” he added.
On Tuesday, November 26, 2024, after consulting key partners and stakeholders, the GFA announced the postponement of their retreat, citing the need for more inclusive and productive dialogue to address necessary reforms.
FKA/EK
