“Ghana football has declined since I left” – Former Ghana FA boss Kwesi Nyantakyi

Former President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kwesi Nyantakyi, has voiced his concern over the decline of Ghanaian football, citing the recent performance of the Black Stars as evidence.

Nyantakyi, who resigned from all his positions at the GFA, Confederation of African Football (CAF), and Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) following the Anas documentary, expressed his views during an interview with Onua TV.

In June 2018, an investigative documentary by journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas revealed hidden camera footage of Ghanaian football officials, including Nyantakyi, allegedly taking bribes.

Despite his subsequent ban from football, Nyantakyi remains an influential figure in Ghanaian football circles and has declared his candidacy for the Ejisu Constituency seat in the upcoming by-election.

During the interview, Nyantakyi lamented the decline in Ghanaian football standards, pointing to the Black Stars’ recent poor performances in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournaments as evidence.

‘‘Ghana football is not at a desirable level. I came to office in 2005, and in our first AFCON, we suffered a first round exit,” he said.

“’But from 2008 till 2017, we always made the semi-finals of the AFCON. We finished in third place in 2008, second in 2010, semi-finals in 2012 and 2015, second in 2015 and semi-finals in 2017.’’

Nyantakyi emphasized the need for collective efforts to elevate the standard of Ghanaian football once again, acknowledging the steep decline in performance since 2019.

”But since 2019, we have always exited after the first round or even in the group stage. So if you drew a graph, you’d see a steep slope. So we all need to help to raise the level again.’’ he concluded.

The Black Stars’ failure to progress beyond the group stage in recent AFCON tournaments contrasts sharply with their previous successes, highlighting the challenges facing Ghanaian football.

Nyantakyi’s insights into the state of Ghanaian football come from his extensive experience as the President of the GFA from 2005 to 2018, a tenure marked by both success and controversy.