Sports
GFA Exco member: Black Stars are not ready to win the AFCON
Tony Aubynn, a member of the Ghana Football Association’s (GFA) Executive Council, believes the Black Stars are not ready to win the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The four-time champions last won the continental title in 1982, when it was hosted in Libya, and have lost three finals since then. In 1992 and 2015, they were defeated in penalty shootouts by Ivory Coast, and in 2010, they were defeated 1-0 by Egypt.
Ghana, on the other hand, has recently declined after appearing in six consecutive semi-finals and has failed to impress. They were eliminated in the round of 16 in the 2019 AFCON and had their perhaps worst-ever performance in the previous edition, failing to advance past the group stage.
Tony Aubynn feels it is past time for the country to acknowledge the team’s flaws and focus on a long-term project.
He believes that aiming to win the tournament anytime soon is a dishonest goal.
“We have talented players in Europe and our local league, but I’m not sure we have a team.”
“What we as a country need to do is lower our expectations as Ghanaians and then build from there.”
“If we continue to believe that we are good enough to beat Brazil or win the Afcon at this level of our team, we are deceiving ourselves,” he told Akoma FM.
“Winning is fine, but we must build, as Senegal, Morocco, and others have done in recent years.”
“The truth is that we need to lower our expectations and strengthen our foundation for the future.”
Meanwhile, Ghana will face the Central African Republic in the last round of qualifiers in order to qualify for the 2023 AFCON.
Sports
Black Stars fitness coach Ricky Roy reportedly dead
Romeo Ricky Roy, the fitness coach for Ghana’s senior national team, has died.
According to Ghana Football Association president Kurt Edwin Simeon Okraku’s Facebook post, he died in Accra on Sunday, April 28, 2024.
Roy joined the Black Stars’ backroom staff in 2021, during Milovan Rajevac’s second spell as coach.
He remained with the national squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and the current Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.
Roy rose to prominence as a member of the coaching staff for Division One League club Vision FC in February 2020, before joining the national squad.
Sports
Veteran Sports Commentator Joe Lartey dies at 96
The Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) has reported the death of Joe Lartey, a veteran Ghanaian football pundit and sports writer.
He passed away on Friday, April 26, 2024, at the age of 96.
Joe Lartey was born on June 6, 1927, in Accra and attended Accra Academy. Lartey, often known as “Over to You,” was a well-known broadcaster and SWAG’s founding president.
Lartey began his media career as a football commentator with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) in 1961.
He grew to be a popular figure in Ghana’s sports community.
He subsequently spent a decade at Radio Nigeria before returning to GBC in 1990. During his stint, he presented shows including Sports Digest on GTV.
In appreciation of his achievements in sports journalism, Lartey received the coveted “A Life in Sport” award from the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) during the AIPS Sport Media Awards ceremony in Doha, Qatar, in June 2022.
Lartey’s impact stretched well beyond Ghana, with numerous Ghanaian football analysts praising him for moulding their careers.
Fans and colleagues alike will remember him warmly for his pioneering work in sports broadcasting.
Sports
Xavi to stay as Barcelona’s coach until at least June 2025
Barcelona coach Xavi will stay with the club until at least the end of his contract in June 2025, having changed his mind about this being his final season.
The 44-year-old stated in January that he will stand down as manager this summer.
However, with president Joan Laporta desperate for him to stay, the former Barcelona and Spain midfielder has made a U-turn.
Xavi took over as manager of Barcelona in November 2021, after leaving Qatari club Al Sadd, and led the team to the Spanish title in his first full season in charge in 2022–23.
However, they are 11 points behind La Liga leaders Real Madrid with six games remaining in the current season.
Barcelona were eliminated from the Champions League last week after losing to PSG in the quarterfinals.
Xavi, who won 25 honours during his brilliant playing career at Barcelona, said he felt “liberated” with the revelation that he would leave the position at the conclusion of the season.
When he announced his departure following the defeat to Villarreal, he felt he was not being safeguarded by the club and there was no clear direction.
However, the team’s fortunes have improved since Xavi felt comfortable taking a more casual attitude.
They went ten games undefeated in the league before falling 3-2 to Real Madrid on Sunday.
On Wednesday, there was a meeting at Laporta’s residence, and the club’s desire for him to stay was clear.
If Xavi is unable to strengthen the squad before the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, Barcelona will attempt to persuade one of the high-profile managers out of contract, including Pep Guardiola, Luis Enrique, and Mikel Arteta.
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