Veteran Ghanaian coach Joseph Emmanuel (JE) Sarpong has revealed that President Mahama’s resetting agenda was instrumental in the Black Stars‘ recent resurgence.
Before the National Democratic Congress (NDC) won power on December 7, 2024, the Black Stars had endured a challenging period.
The four-time Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) champions had failed to win any of their last six games and suffered the humiliation of failing to qualify for the 2025 AFCON.
This poor run of form had turned many Ghanaians against the team. However, with the possibility of a 2026 World Cup ticket on the horizon, the team staged a remarkable resurgence, securing crucial points against Chad and Madagascar to boost their chances of qualifying for the tournament.
Speaking on Sports Check on GhanaWeb TV, Sarpong attributed this turnaround to President Mahama’s initiative to realign the country’s priorities.
“The new head of state, Mahama, said we have to reset Ghana. When we are resetting Ghana, and the Black Stars are also part of the resetting agenda, then I think the resetting is working,” he stated.
Sarpong also praised Mahama’s decision to visit the team at their training camp, suggesting that it played a key role in motivating their improved performance.
“For him to even talk to them on the pitch, for some years, heads of state didn’t come and talk to the players. It was Rawlings who used to do that, and Mahama took it up. It boosted their performance and gave them morale,” he added.
The two victories mean the Black Stars currently sit first in their group standings with 15 points after six games, three points ahead of second-place Comoros.
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Meanwhile, watch part 2 of Sports Check with veteran coach JE Sarpong
