UNTIL THE Ghana-Senegal international friendly last Tuesday in London, pundits and non-pundits alike thought the Stars were in the best of shapes as they hanker to host and win the forthcoming African Cup of Nations competition slated for Ghana.
But many are those who have now come to the realization that the team needs a total overhauling to keep its dream of lifting the trophy for the fifth time on course.
The Senegalese were well composed and organized in all departments of the game especially at the rear and they handled the Stars attack with ease.
Their attack on the other hand exposed our porous defence who were found wanting any time the Teranga Lions made an incursion into our ‘18.
John Paintsil for instance struggled to apply the breaks on his attackers likewise Hans Adu Sarpei, Francis Dickoh and Shilla Illiasu who functioned in similar fashion.
Most definitely deputy skipper, John Mensah’s absence was greatly felt as Illiasu failed to organize his compatriots, as Mensah would have done.
I have absolute nothing against these defenders but I think they should have done better to protect the slender lead.
Thanks to Coach Claude Le Roy, who in his quest to introduce many young charges into the team, discovered Denmark-based and former Hearts of Oak’s midfielder Anthony Annan.
For me, he has justified himself and can now rock shoulders with the ‘big boys’ in the team. Thanks to the Ghana-Brazil friendly where he demonstrated big match instincts.
I think there are a number of quality defenders as Michael Ofosu Appiah of Kotoko, Tema Youth’s Nicholas Adjeabeng, among others, on the local front who should be given the chance to prove their worth.
The Lions really exposed their Ghanaian counterparts and nearly fulfilled El-Hadji Diouf’s pre World Cup ‘prophesy.’
For once, I disagreed with Le Roy when he demonstrated gross reluctance in reshuffling his cards. If Junior Agogo, Andre Dede Ayew, Joe Tex Frimpong, Barruso and Michael Helegbe had been brought on earlier, I think they would have changed the tempo of the game.
Indeed, last Tuesday’s international friendly has served as an eye opener as we prepare to host the 26th edition of the African Cup of Nations in January.
All is not lost yet, we should engage more African opponents before now and January to sharpen the edges in the team to keep the dream of lifting the trophy for the fifth time
