Former Black Stars midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu has openly criticized the leadership of Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Okraku, expressing disappointment in the management of the national football teams. His remarks come after Ghana's recent 2-0 defeat to Sudan in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, a result that puts Ghana's AFCON qualification hopes in jeopardy for the first time in 20 years.
In an interview with Oyerepa FM, Agyemang-Badu didn't hold back his frustrations, pointing the finger at Okraku’s administration for the decline in the performance of the national teams at various levels. According to Agyemang-Badu, the GFA, under Okraku's leadership, has failed to deliver on its promise to elevate Ghanaian football, leading to a string of disappointing results in both youth and senior competitions.
"Ghana’s national teams have experienced nothing but setbacks and disappointments under the leadership of Kurt Okraku," Agyemang-Badu said. "From the U-17 teams to the Black Stars, our performances at major tournaments have been subpar, falling short of expectations. It’s a troubling sign for Ghanaian football."
Currently, Ghana sits third in Group F of the AFCON qualifiers, having earned just two points from four games. With their qualification chances hanging in the balance, the Black Stars are left with a challenging task of winning their final two matches against Angola and Niger. At the same time, they will need to rely on Sudan dropping points in their remaining fixtures to keep their hopes of qualifying for the tournament alive.
Agyemang-Badu's criticism reflects a growing frustration among football fans and analysts in Ghana, many of whom have seen a decline in the national teams' fortunes over the past few years. The pressure is now on Kurt Okraku and the GFA to address these concerns and find solutions to revitalize Ghanaian football. With the 2025 AFCON set to take place in Morocco next year, all eyes will be on whether the Black Stars can turn their fortunes around.
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