With 2010 drawing to an end, it's time to look back at some of the highlights and lowlights from a year that begun with something worthy - finalist at the Cup of Nations - and concluded with Ghana sweeping prizes at the African football awards and Asamoah Gyan's near-miss of the top-most Caf gong - the African Footballer of the Year.
2010 would certainly go down as eventful year for Ghana football, no wonder the President of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi gives the sport a high rating.
“We can always look at the highlights and be proud of the many good things we did that brought pride and honour to our nation and the entire continent. The Nations Cup was a good platform to begin with and the World Cup followed up, though it was in mid year, that [World Cup] was the high point of the many successes. The return of the FA Cup and introduction of the reserve league plus the Zonal Championship for the Women's game that the GFA solely sponsored all shows the positive strides we made.
"The completion of the FIFA Goal Projects and the benefits of the Win in Africa with Africa concept are great achievements. I think had Asamoah Gyan won the Africa best award, it would have crowned a very busy year of many successes. However, I still think Kwadwo Asamoah, the Black Stars and Milovan Rajevac, our former coach need to be commended for their awards at the Caf Awards for 2010," said the GFA President.
Despite the excitement provided on the pitch the year also drew some setbacks with the Black Starlets and women's national sides failing to match the successes chalked in other areas.
“On the down side the [Black] Starlets failed to qualify for the Africa tournament and the women did not do as well as we would have wanted so those are things we have to work on in the New Year.”
The year begun with the 2010 African Nations Cup in Angola and Ghana did not disappoint despite entering the competition with an injury hit squad in a tournament which drew mixed reactions following Togo's withdrawal after a gun attack on their team bus en-route to Cabinda.
Ghana after an opening 3-0 defeat to Ivory Coast went to beat Burkina Faso, hosts Angola and Nigeria - winning all games by a 1-0 scoreline - on their way to the finals where they succumb to Egypt.
Amid the pain of a final heartache, the emergence of a new generation of players - Samuel Inkoom, Andre Ayew, Emmanuel Agyemang Badu, Opoku Agyemang, Isaac Vorsah, Lee Addy - under the win of ex-Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac gave many something to look forward to.
The Black Stars picked themselves up for the much bigger task, playing at the first ever World Cup finals to be hosted by an African nation - South Africa.
Kevin-Prince Boateng made his Ghana debut ahead of the World Cup and gave the team many options. He was a new revelation and a welcome addition to the squad which had the experienced players still around to back the campaign in South Africa.
And they reached the quarter-final, missing the last kick from a penalty spot that could have landed them a last four place as Ghana eventually lost on penalties to Uruguay.
Notwithstanding, Ghana, the only African side to have progressed past the group stages left an impression that will not fade from the memory likewise the hosting of the team by Nelson Mandela at his home in Johannesburg.
In between all this historic feat, a new environment had been created for football in the country.
Ghana for the first time booked their spot at the FIFA U-20 Womens World Cup in Germany. The Black Princesses exited at the group stage.
The women's Under-17 team, the Black Maidens showed enough promise at their second attempt at the FIFA World Cup in Trinidad and Tobago but could not progress beyond the groups stage.
The same script soon followed for the senior women's team, the Black Queens as they failed to go past the group stages of the African Women's Championship in South Africa.
The hopes of the nation were lifted once again when the male Under-20 side, the Black Satellites secured qualification to defend the African title won the year before.
But the last qualifying competition involving a national side did not follow a similar pattern as the Black Starlets failed to reach the finals of the African competition.
As 2010 drew closer to its end, Ghana were in the reckoning for four awards at the Caf-Glo awards for the year under review and went on to sweep three plus a Presidential honour.
Kwadwo Asamoah claimed the Most Promising Talent with the Black Stars voted as the continent's Best National team.
Ex-Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac beat off competition to win the Coach of the Year.
The night could have been complete but Asamoah Gyan, a huge favourite for the Footballer of the Year on his first time nomination missed the prize to Samuel Eto'o.
Ghana's football successes in recent times was rewarded by Caf, who bestowed a 'President Award' on Kwesi Nyantakyi, the President of the Ghana Football for having worked significantly to the development of football in the country at the continent as whole.
Ghana has through it's sustained development benefited from FIFA's Win in Africa with Africa, a tri-module which seeks to improve the administration, coaching and refereeing of the game.
Various courses have been held in the country to re-train personnel in line with the GFA's four-year development plan.
Also worthy to take note is the completion of the FIFA Goal III Project, making Ghana an eligible candidate to pursue the Goal V Project, the first by an African country.
The women’s game has seen a major transformation as the FA solely sponsored the Zone Championships. The introduction of the reserve league for Premier League sides was also welcome addition for the development of game.
The revival of the FA Cup after a nine-year absence has increased competition in the traditional Cup event which pits clubs at all levels of the Ghana football tier for the trophy.
Amid all the high points, the game has also drawn some bad press in recent times.
FIFA's directive to Ghana to end all third-party intervention in the administration of the game after the raid at the FA office by the anti-graft agency - EOCO - which subsequently led to the suspension of all football activities in the country was an unwelcome distraction.
However, Ghana Football Association vice-president Fred Pappoe says he will give football in the country 70 marks out of 100 for the year 2010.
“We got to the final of the Nations Cup, did well at the World Cup and are on course as far as the U-20s is concerned.
“On the down side the Starlets failed to qualify for the Africa tournament and the women did not do as well as we would have wanted so those are things we have to work on in the New Year,” Fred Pappoe said.
As we draw the curtain to a close for a great year filled with many successes, we can only want more of such highlights in the coming year which is packed with lots of footballing activities.
