The President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Okraku, strongly denies accusations of interfering with the Black Stars coaches’ decisions, calling such claims baseless. He spoke out against these allegations during a media briefing in Kumasi.
Okraku addressed concerns raised about the GFA’s alleged involvement in player selection for the national teams under his leadership. There have been widespread criticisms suggesting that the GFA restricts coaches’ freedom in picking players for various national teams.
The departure of CK Akonnor as the head coach of the Black Stars further fueled these criticisms. Akonnor disclosed in an interview with Joy FM that he often lacked the final say in selecting players.
“This is well-known,” Akonnor explained. “Many people speculate without understanding the inner workings. Besides the challenges posed by Covid-19, managing player selections was a significant hurdle.”
Acknowledging the challenges of controlling player call-ups, Akonnor confessed, “There were moments when I felt frustrated and unsure about choosing certain individuals. At one point, I even contemplated not selecting Emmanuel Lomotey again.”
President Okraku vehemently rejected accusations of interference, emphasizing that he did not influence the decision-making processes of former Black Stars coaches like Charles Akonnor, Otto Addo, or Chris Hughton. He made it clear that all the actions of the GFA are transparent and visible to everyone.
Chris Hughton, who previously coached the Black Stars, was relieved of his duties after the team’s disappointing performance at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast. The Black Stars failed to advance past the group stage, securing only two points.
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