Showboating blamed for Black Stars' poor AFCON performance

A former president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, has criticised the Black Stars for their recent poor performances in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, attributing the team's struggles to players prioritising individual showmanship over national pride. 

His scathing remarks come in the wake of the team's disappointing start, which saw them lose to Angola and draw 1-1 against Niger, leaving them in a precarious third place in Group F with just one point.

At the heart of Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe’s criticism is the mentality of the players.

He accused them of playing for personal glory rather than displaying the grit and determination needed to secure victories for the nation.

According to him, the Black Stars seem more interested in entertaining the crowd with flashy moves than demonstrating the teamwork and discipline required on the field.

"When they are playing, everybody is trying to play a master game, just joking with the ball. How can one person try to dribble about four or five players? Impossible," he stated, criticising the team's over-exuberant style of play.

To remedy the situation, Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe called for a renewed focus on grooming local players, pointing out that many of Niger's squad members are home-based. 

The veteran football administrator called for a shift in focus towards developing local talent, pointing to Niger’s squad, which features many home-based players, as a model for success.

He stressed the importance of nurturing homegrown players, urging coaches to prove their calibre by grooming local talents to compete on par with foreign-based stars.

"What they need is to look inward now. If they are real coaches, they should be able to train our local boys because our counterparts play with local boys in their countries and just mix them with one or two foreign players," he explained.

Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe's remarks highlight the need for a strategic overhaul within the Black Stars’ camp, calling for a return to disciplined, team-oriented football that reflects national pride, rather than individual showmanship.

His pointed critique adds fuel to the ongoing debate about whether Ghana’s footballing identity needs to be rebuilt from the ground up.