John Paintsil, a former Black Stars defender, provided analysis on Ghana’s dismal showing in the recently concluded 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) competition.
The national team, who was competing for their fifth continental championship, was unable to advance past the group stage of the competition with just two points out of a possible nine.
The Black Stars settled for 2-2 draws against Egypt and Mozambique and lost 2-1 to Cape Verde despite having leads in both games.
This was Ghana’s second consecutive early elimination from a major event, following its disappointments from the 2022 World Cup and AFCON 2021.
Paintsil brought attention to the coaching staff’s lack of leadership, which made the team’s bad luck worse.
He said, “We lacked leadership from the coaches, but the players faced bad luck,” in an interview with UTV. The boys didn’t seem to be united.
Paintsil emphasized the value of collaboration and the idea that teamwork is more important for success than individual talent. He called attention to problems such players moving incoherently and relying too much on their own abilities.
When Paintsil compared the dynamics of the team today to his playing days, he saw a drop in standards, pointing to a lack of respect, cohesion, and accountability among the players.
He remembered a time when they could confidently forecast triumphs because unity and respect for one another were of the utmost importance.
