Nyantakyi and Co must step down — Nana Fitz
A veteran football administrator, Fitzgerald Barkers-Woode, alias Nana Fitz, has urged the president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kwesi Nyantakyi, and his executive members to humbly resign en bloc to avoid sinking Ghana football further into the deep seas.
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Nana Fitz fired the salvo at the top FA hierarchy following Ghana’s failure to qualify for the Russia 2018 World Cup, saying his style of running the FA as his personal business has contributed to the dwindling fortunes of football development in recent times.
He alleged that Mr Nyantakyi’s unprofessional way of administering football in Ghana in recent years had also created a barrier for corporate bodies to come on board to sponsor the Ghana Premier League (GPL), causing club owners to suffer huge financial losses.
According to Nana Fitz the early resignation of Mr Nyantakyi and his team would pave way for a committee to be formed to restore Ghana’s sinking image at both the local and international levels.
Attributing the Black Stars’ failure to qualify for Russia 2018 to the combative nature of Mr Nyantakyi in particular during an exclusive interview with the Graphic Sports in Accra last Wednesday, Nana Fitz said at a time that all hands should have been on deck to motivate the team to win four of their World Cup qualifying matches, the FA capo was deeply involved in internal wranglings with some key members of the FA.
“I am not only talking about international competitions but also the league and the general running of football in Ghana. Football is big business now but playing a league without sponsors due to how the league is organised is not the best.”
“In most of our World Cup qualifying matches, there were conflicts and confusion between the president of the FA and his vice. There was a complete division between the executives of the FA, so we lost the matches outside the field before the players went into the games”, Nana Fitz noted.
“Since he took over the reins of Ghana football, he has come into conflict with many Sports Ministers, causing them to be fired. Many coaches and quality players who could have carried Ghana very far in international competitions have also gone in different directions due to the manner Mr Nyantakyi handled them. But his latest tango with the immediate past Sports Minister and his vice president were the immediate factors that affected the Black Stars’ qualification to Russia 2018”, Nana Fitz, who was a former chairman of Kumasi Cornerstone Football Club fumed.
“We know what led to the failure of the Black Stars to qualify for Russia 2018, but if we want to qualify for the 2022 World Cup or the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and win laurels, as well as improve the manner in which our GPL is organised, then Kwesi Nyantakyi and his people should do us a favour and resign honourably for us to set up a committee to manage our football and arrange for new elections”, he charged.
He noted, “He had been managing Ghana football for over 13 years now and if we quantify the money that has gone through his hands for the management of Ghana football as against where we are now I do not think Kwesi and his people have anything good for Ghana football.”
“That is why he should immediately resign with his people and let a committee take over to organise elections.”
Nana Fitz also called for the amendment of the GFA constitution to enable people outside the realms of football but who have much expertise, knowledge and know-how in the sport to join the FA to streamline the activities of football administration in Ghana.”
He said with good and professional management of the FA, the local league would not only attract sponsorship to enhance its attractiveness, but many players could also be well groomed to fit into the Black Stars and help restore Ghana’s image in international tournaments.