Alhaji Abu Lamine Calls for Overhaul of Ghana’s Football Foundations
Alhaji Abu Lamine, a former board member of Asante Kotoko, has attributed the Black Stars' consistent failures in major tournaments to weak foundational structures in Ghanaian football. In recent years, the national team has struggled to make an impact, including early exits in the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The disappointment continued at the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast, where the team once again failed to advance beyond the group stages. Speaking on Asempa FM's Ultimate Sports Show, Lamine stressed the need to address underlying issues in Ghanaian football, which he believes have stifled progress at the highest levels of competition.
According to Lamine, the nation’s football system requires government intervention to rebuild and strengthen its foundations. He pointed out that past successes were often supported by strategic partnerships between the government and football stakeholders, which are now lacking. “There is something fundamentally wrong with our game, and we need to fix it,” he stated. Lamine emphasized the importance of involving the government in areas such as coaching, infrastructure development, and grassroots programs to revitalize the sport. Without these improvements, he warned, the national team would continue to struggle against rising competition from other countries whose football systems are more robust.
The urgency of his appeal is underscored by Ghana’s failure to qualify for the 2025 AFCON—an unprecedented event in the last two decades. The Black Stars managed only three draws and three losses during the qualifiers, a performance that mirrors the systemic weaknesses identified by Lamine. He believes that focusing on long-term solutions, such as better infrastructure, talent development, and strategic planning, will be key to restoring Ghana’s footballing glory. His call to action is a reminder that rebuilding the fundamentals is essential for the Black Stars to regain their competitiveness and reclaim their place as a formidable force in international football.
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