Ghana are on the brink of missing out on the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals for the first time since 2004 and the soul-searching has begun about how to improve the fortunes of the Black Stars.
A 2-0 defeat by Sudan on Tuesday left Ghana languishing in third place in their qualification group for the 2025 Afcon with two points from a possible 12.
Captain Mohammed Kudus issued an apology but their performances on the road to Morocco have continued a recent downturn which has included group-stage exits at the 2021 and 2023 editions of Afcon.
“It’s been very difficult for our national team for the past five or six years, and we’ve been massaging a lot of things,” former Ghana midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu told BBC Sport Africa.
“We’ve not been truthful to ourselves and this is where we have landed.
“The team is not playing well, there’s no consistency or passion. We are playing like there’s nothing at stake.
“It’s very sad and embarrassing for us.”
Coach Otto Addo, in his second spell in charge of the Black Stars, has come under pressure but there appears to be no easy fix for the West Africans who used to dominate the African game.
Ghana are four-time continental champions – lifting the trophy in 1963, 1965, 1978 and 1982 – but have won just three of their past 16 matches.
‘Thirty million people are suffering’
Ghana have also faced structural problems off the pitch and last month the Confederation of African Football (Caf) withdrew its approval for the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi to host international matches.
It appeared Ghana would have to stage this month’s home qualifier against Sudan at a neutral venue but the Accra Sports Stadium was eventually brought up to Caf’s standards.
Prior to the game Ghana Football Association (GFA) president Kurt Okraku delivered a feisty speech to the squad in a bid to stir a response following a 1-0 defeat by Angola and a 1-1 draw with Niger in September.
“Once you come here and you put on the shirt, that should give you the pride to fight, show passion, aggression, desire to win for your country,” Okraku said.
“When you draw games and I see players laughing, smiling, [it] is not acceptable. Thirty million people are suffering.”
Okraku’s speech, which lasted over 15 minutes, was posted online but did not translate to positive results against Sudan, with a 0-0 draw in Accra preceding the loss away from home.
Kudus, handed the armband for the double header, urged supporters to stand by the Black Stars during a “challenging period”.
“Despite our utmost effort and dedication, the results did not reflect our aspirations or the pride we have in representing our beloved nation,” the West Ham man said in a statement on X.
“We want to assure Ghanaians that we are committed to learning from our mistakes, regrouping, and working tirelessly to restore the Black Stars to our former glory.”
What made the results harder to take was seeing former Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah in the opposition dugout, masterminding Sudan’s bid for qualification.
Appiah has had two spells as Black Stars boss, leading the side at the 2014 Fifa World Cup as well as the 2013 and 2019 editions of Afcon.
“I work with that gentleman (Appiah), and he has proved he’s a good coach,” former Black Stars player and boss Charles Akonnor told BBC Sport Africa.
“The way they (Sudan) are performing now is totally different. It is a different level that Kwesi Appiah has taken them [to].”
Investing in youth
With the side lacking cohesion on the pitch, former players and coaches have pointed to the need to invest in youth sides in order to provide a pathway to the Black Stars.
Ghana won the Under-20 World Cup in 2009 and the squad captained by Andre Ayew remain the only African side to lift that trophy.
“Our strong weapon was our junior national teams,” Badu, a member of that triumphant squad in Egypt, said.
“It’s been 15 years [since] we went and won the World Cup in Egypt. Since then the U20s and U17s have collapsed.
“Building a national team is different from building a club side. It all bows down to proper structures.”
With the Black Stars drawing on more players from the country’s diaspora, there are calls to nurture talent back in west Africa.
“We have been forced to rely on the guys that don’t know the terrain, the mentality, the culture,” Badu added.
“It will be very difficult for them when they come to Africa. There’s a physicality – the pitches, infrastructure is all a problem in Africa.
“So we need to go back and restrategise and come back strongly. It will take two, three, four years. Quick solutions will not help the national team.”
Will Black Stars retain Addo?
When the GFA gave Addo an initial three-year contract this year the message was clear that the focus was on qualification for the 2025 Afcon and 2026 World Cup.
The 49-year-old, who had led the Black Stars to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, won his first two competitive matches against Mali and Central African Republic in June.
But then came the creation of an unwanted record – losing a game in Kumasi for the first time in 24 years – and now the risk of missing out on the 2025 Afcon.
The Sudan defeat has raised questions about the future of Addo, who acknowledged the team was under pressure ahead of their meeting in neutral Libya.
“The fans are not happy,” Ghanaian sports journalist Muftawu Abdulai told BBC Sport Africa.
“The language, words, tone that is being directed towards the head coach is quite unpalatable.
“Many fans have gone to the extent of abusing him. They want him fired.”
However, Abdulai believes the GFA will retain the former Borussia Dortmund player.
“I do not think that the GFA would even consider parting company with Otto Addo,” he added.
“I was made to understand this is a man they want to plan with. So Otto is not going anywhere.”
Without a win after four rounds in Group F, Ghana must beat already-qualified Angola and Niger next month and hope Sudan fail to pick up a point against the same opposition.
In the long term, Akonnor also emphasised the importance of working on youth development which once produced the likes of Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari and Asamoah Gyan.
“I think we focus on the Black Stars too much,” Akonnor, who was dismissed by Ghana in September 2021, said.
“We’ve left our youth development. We have potential to be better and we need to do something drastically with all urgency.”
