Sports News of Friday, 21 January 2022
Source: www.ghanaweb.live
2022-01-21Five takeaways from Kurt Okraku’s post-AFCON interviews
President of the Ghana Football Association Kurt Okraku
Ben Ephson wants Milovan Rajevac to stay on Ghana coach
Kurt Okraku hits back at critics over resignation calls
GFA to meet over Milo’s future
Read full articletarget='_blank' href='/GhanaHomePage/people/person.php?ID=3421'>Kurt Okraku, the President of the Ghana Football Association on Thursday, January 20, 2021 shortly after arriving in Ghana from the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations embarked on an interview spree where he spoke to a number of media firms.
With the anger and disappointment of Ghana’s exit from the AFCON still fresh, Kurt Okraku’s words were going to prove decisive in whether the criticism would go down or grow in intensity.
Kurt Okraku made a few topical statements that captured the headlines and GhanaWeb brings you five of the issues he addressed.
We sent the best players to AFCON
Kurt Okraku defended the quality of players Ghana sent to the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, insisting that coach Milovan Rajevac got it spot on with this selection.
“I’ve heard a lot of commentaries about the players selected by Milo and I wonder why there are complaints. The 28 players selected are the best available to Ghana as at the time the team was announced.
“I will be surprised if you can give me three names who deserved call-ups but were not called. Every player deserved a call-up. Coach Milovan and his technical team selected the players and we stuck by them,” he said.
Will not resign
Kurt Okraku ruled out resigning from his position as president of the Ghana Football Association, urging his critics to stop ‘joking’.
“We are in a very serious enterprise. We should get serious. The call to resign is not even up for consideration. There are critical things we need to look at,” he told Asempa FM.
Will not apologize
Kurt Okraku was offered a chance to apologize to Ghanaians for the humiliation in Brazil. He instead exhorted the minds of Ghanaians to the upcoming matches and need for Ghanaians to stay together.
When asked if he will apologize, Kurt said “The performance of the team is not what we expect. I understand how bad we are all hurt, me inclusive. It beholds on all of us to speak our minds but stay together as a family, help each other and build a family that will truly represent Ghana,” he said on Asempa FM when he was asked by host of their morning show if he will apologize.
Kurt on Milo’s future
Kurt Okraku offered coyish response on the future of Black Stars Milovan Rajevac. Calls have been made for the FA to fire Milovan Rajevac after Ghana’s performance at the AFCON.
“Let’s be fair to the man who brought so much glory and honour to this country. Since Milovan took over this team he has never had 4 days of uninterrupted training with the team before. There are a lot of top-line managers who have failed in certain jurisdictions. Rafael Benitez is one. Jose Mourinho is one. We believed Milovan was the right man. That is why we appointed him,” he told Benedict Kwadwo Mensah on Asempa FM.
Kurt Okraku defends decision to sack Akonnor
Kurt Okraku maintains that the Ghana Football Association acted right in sacking CK Akonnor as head coach of the Black Stars.
In an interview with TV3, Kurt was asked whether or not he regrets sacking CK Akunnor, he answered "I don't regret it".
He further said that the FA will start from scratch in rebuilding Ghana football after an embarrassing elimination from the AFCON.
“Fixing the Ghanaian football problem starts from the very foundation. It is the responsibility of everyone in EXCO around this time to have cool heads to ensure that we have the right decisions being taken for our dear Black Stars”.
