Build Black Stars around local players: Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe urges Otto Addo

On October 22, 2024, 6:46 AM

A  Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) chairman, Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, has urged the Black Stars Head Coach, Otto Addo, to prioritise local players in rebuilding the national team. 

According to Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe, the overreliance on foreign-based players has hindered the formation of a strong, competitive squad. He highlighted Sudan’s recent 2-0 victory over Ghana in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers—achieved with a team largely made up of domestic talent—as clear evidence of the potential of home-grown players.

In an interview with the Graphic Sports, following Ghana’s disappointing AFCON qualifying campaign, which has left the Black Stars on the verge of missing out on the continental showpiece for the first time since 2004, the veteran administrator stressed that the national team’s approach to teambuilding must change if the country was to regain its competitive edge.

“You cannot gather different footballers from Europe a week before a match, no matter how talented they are, and expect to win easily,” he remarked.

Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe, who is also a member of the Board of Directors of Hearts of Oak, blamed the government’s lack of interest in football for the Black Stars’ decline in recent years, citing their poor performance in the AFCON qualifiers as a prime example. He called on the government to heavily invest in the national team to help restore its former glory.

Reflecting on Ghana’s footballing history, he noted that administrations that actively supported the national team reaped the rewards. “During the era of Kwame Nkrumah, all our victories were achieved with local players,” he recalled, referencing the work of foreign coaches like Sweden’s Andreas Sjöberg and Hungary’s József Ember, as well as Ghanaian legend Chares Kumi Gyamfi, who continued their legacy.

Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe attributed the Black Stars’ two AFCON titles under Ghana’s first President (Dr Nkrumah) to the late leader’s passion for football. However, after Dr Nkrumah’s government was overthrown, the momentum waned, as successive governments, including those of General Joseph Ankrah and Dr Kofi Abrefa Busia, failed to prioritise sports.

“When General Kuti Acheampong took charge as Head of State, he personally invested in football, even doubling as Sports Minister, which led to our 1978 AFCON title,” Nyaho-Tamakloe added. He also credited Jerry John Rawlings’ leadership, recalling how, despite economic hardships, Rawlings demonstrated unwavering support for the Black Stars during their 1982 AFCON triumph.

“In 1982, Ghana was so broke that it took Libyan President Muammar Al-Qathafi to send a military aircraft to transport the team to Libya for the tournament,” Nyaho-Tamakloe said. Despite the challenges, the Black Stars went on to defeat Libya in the final, bringing home the country’s last AFCON trophy.

Lamenting the current state of affairs, the former GFA boss criticised the lack of government commitment in recent times, which he said contributed to the national team’s long title drought. “Ghana is a football nation, but we are being pushed out,” Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe warned, urging the government to prioritise the Black Stars to restore their competitiveness. Without proper investment and leadership, he cautioned, the team’s performance was unlikely to improve.