As 2006 draws to a close and we look back at the year that has just passed, one of the most memorable moments for Ghana was her World Cup debut but back home, the first round of the domestic league had been fraught with problems.
FA President, Kwesi Nyantakyi might have had the honour and pleasure of heading the Ghana Football Association during the good moments before, during and after the World Cup but is also concerned at the problems he has been faced with during his first tenure in office.
Rolling back the events of the past months, the FA president says it’s been a good season for Ghana on the pitch.
“2006 is perhaps the most successful year for the Black Stars. We qualified and participated in our maiden World Cup.
“We did not only participate, but made a historic impression at the Mundial. The Black Stars qualified to the second round of the 2006 FIFA World Cup as the only team from Africa, Asia and North America.
“We outplayed all our opponents, recording a higher percentage for ball possession and lost gallantly to the world best, Brazil.
“The performance of the Black Stars at the 2006 FIFA World Cup has placed Ghana on a very high pedestal in world football and international diplomacy,” he wrote in his column.
Kwesi Nyantakyi strongly believes the success of the game has also enhanced national issues too.
“Our dear team, the Black Stars promoted national unity through its exploits at the World Cup. The team demonstrated that football could best serve as an instrument of political and economic diplomacy.”
But the FA President wants the values of the game protected and expects major stakeholders to do more to ensure that matters bordering on the game are not sorted out of the football house but within the family.
“2006 will be remembered as the year in which the FA, was faced with a plethora of court cases by supporters of four Premier division clubs- Hearts of Oak, Liberty Professionals, AshantiGold, and Tema Youth.
“The supporters took their respective decisions against the FA with the tacit approval of the clubs. Apart from Liberty Professionals, none of the three clubs complied with the statutory requirement of the FA to file a Statement of Disclaimer in court.
“In the case of Emmanuel Otu Quaye, the supporter of Accra Hearts of Oak, his action was aided by Mr. Ernest Thompson, Board Secretary of the club, who acted as counsel for the supporter. The blatant disregard for regulations that were approved by the clubs must be brought to an end.”
And ahead of the New Year, he is counting on all stakeholders to ensure the continuous success of the game in the country with the ray of hope seen in 2006.
“The FA salutes all its committees for a good job done in 2006.
“Congress has been very supportive of the new GFA structure. Members of Congress attend meetings through their representatives and provide useful insight into matters tabled before them for consideration.
“I hope we all redouble our efforts to accelerate the pace of development of the game here.
“Ghana football possess enormous potentials which could be nursed to become one of the best in the world with the necessary initiatives, caliber of personnel, resources and support.
“I will like to commend the government through the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports for a good collaboration between the two outfits.
“Ghana has given practical meaning to FIFA's call for a close collaboration between football associations and the political authorities.
“We need the support, counsel and prayers of all the stakeholders in the management of the game,” he sums up.