I am back from my tortuous trip abroad. A call to duty sent me to London, Dallas, Dusseldorf, Wurzburg, Nurnberg, London and back to Accra.

The purposes of the trips to Dallas and London are issues that can be retrieved from the dustbin of history.

As indicated in my last article, I traveled with the Black Stars to Dallas for a friendly international with Mexico.

I also led a delegation of the Football Association to Stamford Bridge to hold bilateral talks with Chelsea Football Club.

Whiles in Germany another team comprising vice president Fred Pappoe and coach Dujkovic traveled to Faro, Portugal to inspect facilities for a probable camping base for the Black Stars in May 2006.

The visit to Germany was short but purposeful. It witnessed the participation of a seven member Ghanaian delegation in a FIFA organized workshop for all the 32 finalists at the summer mundial


FIFA Workshop
FIFA found it expedient to organize a workshop for all the 32 finalist teams in Dusseldorf.

The workshop was attended by the following officials of the various federations: leader of delegation, head of administration, medical officers, ticketing officers, coaches, security officers, media officers and marketing officers.

The seating was arranged alphabetically. Ghana by coincidence sat behind Sven-Goran Eriksson of England whom we occasionally engaged in a tete-a-tete on issues that required his expert opinion.

He indicated clearly that he will be quitting after the world cup.

All the major media houses of the world came to Dusseldorf to cover the event.
There was a controlled coverage of the workshop ensuring that access to the lecture rooms and other areas in the hotel were restricted.

The lectures were delivered by very competent and experienced practitioners in the field of medicine, marketing, media relations, security affairs, technical matters, and administration.

A number of very useful information was provided. I believe the FA will organize a press briefing at the appropriate time to apprise all and sundry of the details of the workshop. For the purposes of this piece, it may suffice just to highlight a few issues.

The first issue of interest to me is that FIFA will conduct an independent check on the competence and eligibility of every team medical doctor at the world cup.

This exercise is obviously intended to eliminate the presence of quack and fake doctors from the world cup. FIFA recognizes the significant role that doctors play in a team and shall not take for granted the lives of players.

Another significant medical issue is the decision to conduct heart examination on players at the world cup. A clear determination by FIFA to prevent the recurrence of deaths on the field such as the one suffered by Marc Vivien Foe.

Doping control tests are quite familiar. FIFA will conduct random doping control tests. A list of banned drugs was also discussed.

Dr. Engmann, the Black Stars team doctor may have to come to my aid by providing the long list of anabolic substances and steroids, which have been banned. Enough on medicine.

The coaches of the 32 finalist teams made a joint appeal to FIFA to consider an extension of the 15th May 2006 deadline for the submission of the names of players for the world cup.

In fact FIFA has directed all the leagues in the world to break on or before 15th May for players to rest and prepare at least three weeks before the world cup. The English league is expected to end on 7th May.

The Championship will end on 30th April 2006. If the FIFA deadline is not changed, it will have a telling effect on Ghana. Our plan to invite 32 players for camping will become otiose and call for an immediate revision thereof.

The role of the media will be key to the success or otherwise of the world cup.

Accordingly, FIFA has sold out the radio and broadcast rights for the tournament. There will be daily press briefings at the tournament.

FIFA will organize a press briefing at each match venue on the eve of the match. Closely associated with the media is the issue of marketing. FIFA has imposed restrictions on advertising opportunities for the teams.

The only advertising opportunity for the teams is the kit sponsor and one other sponsor. The equipment regulations allow only a limited diameter of the sponsor’s logo.

The complex rules for the world cup tickets also came up for discussion.

FIFA is so dissatisfied with the rules that it has threatened to take up the handling of ticketing at the 2010 world cup in South Africa. Analogous to this is security and visa applications.

The restrictions on visa acquisition may make it difficult for several well meaning Ghanaians to attend the world cup.

FIFA did not hide its disappointment at the rules on visa acquisition, which is intended to crowd out several Africans from attending the world cup. The point was hammered home that once the German Government has signed the undertaking to facilitate the issue of entry visas to persons interested in attending the world cup, it must do everything within its means to issue the said visas.

Security for the world cup will be very tight. Access to specified areas will be restricted.

The financial package for the world cup is well known to all. Participating nations gained one million Swiss francs ($750,000) upon qualification for preparation.

A total of about four million five hundred thousand US dollars including the preparation money will be earned after playing the first three matches. That raises the financial stakes for the world cup.

Visit to Wurzburg
The General Secretary and I paid a working visit to Wurzburg to inspect facilities at the team camping base.

Wurzburg is 113km from Nurnburg. It is a small town inhabited by about 200,000 people.

It plays host to the annual African Festival, the biggest in Germany. The team will lodge at the 4-star Maritime Hotel, which is located along the banks of river Mainz.

The team’s training will take place on the field of F.C. Kickers, a 3rd division club in Wurzburg. FIFA will provide vehicles for the teams stay five days before the first match and 2 days after the last match.

All additional vehicle requirements for the black stars will be provided by Mercedes (Our Sponsor) through their outlet in Wurzburg.

I think Wurzburg is a quiet location. It posseses a serene environment for camping by the team. As Wurzburg is a bit removed from the center of attraction, there will be minimal interruptions and disruptions in the team’s preparations and build up to the world cup.

The German LOC will provide charter flights to lift teams from one match venue to another. In this connection, the Black Stars will honour its matches by flying from the Wurzburg military airport to Hanover and Koln for the first round matches.


Puma
The last meeting in Germany was held with Puma, our kit sponsor. We discussed our kit requirements for the world cup and delivery schedules relating thereto.

We appreciate the level of professionalism of Puma. An officer will be dedicated to the Black Stars to ensure that we never fall short of supplies to the team. A very commendable gesture.


Faro, Portugal
The Black Stars last camped in Faro in 1992 before the Cup of Nations in Senegal.

It has hosted a number of Africa teams including Nigeria who were there before the last African Nations Cup in January 2006.

The camp has also hosted a number of European and South American teams. The Russian women’s football team recently camped there. The facilities are very good for camping.


Camping and Matches for World Cup
The Black Stars camping for the world cup will first take place in Portugal and then in Germany. We have lined up a number of friendlies against South Korea, Belgium, and Iran.


Responses to Ugly Noises
Ghana’s resolve to practice free speech and expression has probably stretched the concept to intolerable limits.

Sometimes, positions articulated by certain proponents are based on a misconception and a wrong factual basis and yet advocates of such views will articulate them as though they were the gospel truth.

There was this absurd position taken that there was no point in Ghana playing a friendly match with Mexico in Dallas.

The disingenuous reason given for that 15th century argument is that the USA will take advantage and watch every thing about the Ghana team.

In this day and age of technological advancement, a match between Ghana and another Country played at planet Venus can be monitored and watched by the USA.

During the CAN2006 the Americans were there.

The Italians were there and the Czechs were there. Alas the matches were not played in America or Europe yet they watched and observed all the players and teams they wanted to.

I laugh and giggle at the suggestions of a few ignoramuses who still wallow under the delusion that I am young and inexperienced to head the FA. What has age got to do with competence and capability?

I graduated from the law school some 13 or so years ago. I have managed a football club in the last 9 years. I have held positions on the then Executive Council, Division One League Board, Appeals Committee, Legal Committee, Black Satellites management Committee and the then Management Board of the GFA.

A rare and singular experience that places me on a high and unique pedestal in Ghana Football.

The ancient thinkers of this modern world must understandably have problems with the exuberance of my dynamic youth. I shall remain focused and unperturbed by the ugly noises of these people. I have heard a lot of criticism of the FA over the Laryea Kingston case.

Most of the statements made are baseless.

A so-called knowledgeable man polluted the Ghana airspace by stating unashamedly that the FA filed the appeal two days after the decision was received from CAF.

A palpable lie at that.

Another supposed English scholar whose rendition of the Queen’s language is incurably bad indicted the FA for not consulting more experienced Ghanaians serving on CAF Committees.

Let me confess my humility and admiration and respect for age, wisdom and experience. I however detest the arrogance of empty-headed persons who can only be remembered for their ignorance.

There were certain unfounded rumours making the rounds about certain officials of the FA receiving bribe from Chelsea over the Michael Essien issue. Is it really true?

I will appreciate any evidence that will expose any body involved in that act.

For the rumour peddlers it is important for them to note that our patience may be stretched beyond allowable limits and the culprits may be invited to the appropriate forum to justify their lies.

Let us devote our energies to a positive contribution towards the development of the game rather than a negative and unproductive criticism of every thing under the thin guise of freedom of speech and expression.

I wish to commend Fred Crentsil for showing a lot of maturity and dexterity during the period he acted as president of the GFA. He has lived up to his accolade as a consultant.

Thank you and Cheers!!

Kwesi Nyantakyi
(GFA President)

16 March 2006