Medeama, ‘almost’ doesn't count
Tarkwa may not be Leicester, the place to be in English football and currently the hotbed of jubilation, celebrating the coronation of what doubters thought was impossible.
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Neither is Tarkwa a glitzy city in Ghana, yet it stands on the threshold of a golden moment for its club, Medeama FC, in her quest to overturn a two-goal deficit in their ongoing CAF Confederation Cup campaign.
Already, the Ghana Premier League side have claimed the scalp of two opponents in two successive second legs of the aforementioned campaign. Yet, for all the greatness of their record in the competition, they may be looking at the exit door right now, following their 1-3 loss to South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns last weekend.
Willy-nilly, whether or not they would go through that door willingly or unwittingly, it is a matter subject to a number of variables and intangibles, such as large-scale support, organisation and huge patronage at the Essipon Stadium in Sekondi next week to help propel Medeama past the South African challenge.
Immediately, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) comes to mind, in concert with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) in the crucial part they must embrace to play to help raise the profile of Ghanaian Clubs and the country, on the continent and beyond.
For, having come this far, one step away from the lucrative ‘money zone’ — to not only defray expenses, but also to record a healthy financial statement for the club —and with a chance to get into contention for the ultimate prize, almost progressing would not count.
The investment of the Ghanaian public in terms of expectations, the heavy media involvement, the FA’s investment of approximately $30,000 in Medeama’s campaign, to say nothing of the intangible dividend a Medeama success would accrue to Ghana, all make it a necessity for the club to win big at Essipon, an absolute necessity for progression.
Does it make the job at hand easy? Not likely. For, Mamelodi Sundowns average at least a goal per match, regardless of venue. It makes it dicey for Medeama because in the event the South African team scores a goal at Essipon, it would require that Medeama have to score 3-1 in reply just to tie the game and push it into extra time during which they could clinch the tie.
Is that impossibility? Not so, because strong conviction and diligence can conquer what might seem impossibility. Just ask Leicester City, this season's English Premier League champions.
However, the attitude of the Medeama management may wreck their campaign. Instead of focusing on fixing the weaknesses of the playing body, especially the poor goalkeeping which undermined their efforts in the first leg match, the club’s president, Moses Armah (Mospacka), is reportedly blaming their runaway Swedish coach, Tom Strand.
Whatever Strand's imperfections, the Medeama leadership had demonstrated sleepwalking inclinations, reclining while things kept declining, delaying action without sanction while things were decaying only to be aching, blaming the Swedish national for their failings. For that, they get a yellow card!
The management of Medeama must guard against that course and stay focused on the task at hand, as well against their inclination of comfort at home environment providing them favourable outcomes in the current campaign.
Now, is that too much to ask, Moses? No. It is not insurmountable, even in the face of what looks like a set of monumental challenges.
Some are saying we should be praying, daydreaming our praying would ensure victory of the field of play. Really?
How come teams from the Arab world that prays five times a day do not win the UEFA Champions League, European Champion and the FIFA World Cup competitions they have been playing?
Now, we know vinegar is no sugar but once you add a little sugar, it won't taste that bad. However bad the Medeama situation looks, it requires a sturdy approach.
So, the Medeama leadership ought to marshall all resources avaibale —GHALCA, GFA, Sports Ministry, media, representatives from the presidency, the regional minister, in tow — to symbolise the significance of the match to the nation, and turn around the diminishing returns of Ghanaian Clubs on the continent, at least, this year.
Essipon may not be the gallows but Medeama's home turf has been known to be a venue where dreams of foreign visiting teams have been sacrificed on the altar of Ghanaian football gods.
So, Medeama must not only be incisive like a surgeon, but also decisive like the guillotine, in killing off the South African competition.