The Ghana Football Association (GFA) dissolved the technical teams of all national sides in the country on Thursday, 2nd January 2020.
The decision meant the head coaches and assistants of the various senior and junior men’s and women’s national teams have left their role with immediate effect.
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Despite not ascribing any reason to the decision, the GFA said in a brief statement that it “extends its appreciation to all coaches and members of the respective national teams for their contributions” and wishes them “all the best in their endeavours.”
A number of high profile coaches have, hence, lost their positions including, most notably, Black Stars coach Kwesi Appiah.
Despite taking charge of the Black Stars two opening games in their AFCON 2021 qualifying campaign in November, Appiah’s continued stay as head coach of the men’s senior national team had become the subject of much debate.
His contract expired in December 2019, but speculation was rife that he had been offered a new contract by the GFA.
This earned the ire of some sections of the public who felt that given Ghana’s dismal showing at the AFCON 2019 tournament in Egypt, perhaps a change in management was needed.
The recent decision by the GFA will intensify the debate even further, as talk will turn to who will replace the various coaches.
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But who exactly has been affected by the GFA’s call?
Take a look at a list of the most noteworthy names below
Kwesi Appiah – Black Stars head coach (and technical team)
Appiah was in his second stint in charge of the Black Stars. The first major tournament of this second spell ended in disappointment as the Black Stars went out on penalties in the Round of 16 to Tunisia.
Ibrahim Tanko – Black Meteors head coach (and technical team)
Tanko’s Black Meteors side endured a mixed AFCON as they scraped out of the group stages. However, with a place at next year’s Olympics at stake, the Meteors fell to the Ivory Coast and South Africa on penalties. This led to Sammy Osei Kuffuor describing the side as the worst team Ghana has ever taken to a tournament.
Mercy Tagoe – Black Queens head coach (and technical team)
Mercy Tagoe led the Black Queens at the 2018 AFCON held in Ghana but the side failed to progress from the group after just one win from their three group games. They were also dumped out of the Olympics qualifiers by Kenya.
Maxwell Konadu – Local Black Stars coach
Konadu was appointed head coach of the Black Stars ‘B’ side after leaving his previous post as Assistant coach of the Black Stars. He was also recently named the coach of Kumasi Asante Kotoko.
Also heading out…
Yaw Preko – Black Satellites coach
Evans Adotey – Black Maidens coach
Yusif Basigi – Black Princesses coach
Samuel Boadu – U-15 coach
