How can Ghana’s Black Queens make a comeback to the elite ranks of African women?

Ghana was the first to introduce women’s football to Africa.

A valiant and skilled squad played their first international in 1991. It was graced by players such as Alberta Sackey, Genevieve Clottey, and Adjoa Bayor. The team enjoyed great success during its first decade.

The Black Queens were runners-up in three of five editions of Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) and also appeared at three subsequent World Cups.

“When women’s soccer was started in Ghana, there weren’t many countries,” Habiba Ata, the founder of the first women’s club in the country, explained to BBC Sport Africa.

“It wasn’t until we started that other people caught on.”

While Ghana didn’t win any major silverware, the team’s play was a source of comfort for many.

However, the Ghana Football Association failed to capitalize on this momentum or create a strong structure for their team. This led to a drop in performances on the continental stage from 2008 to now.

A third-placed finish at Wafcon in 2016 The highlight was among four group stage exits out five one of which came about on home soil in 2018.

Recent years have seen the likes Morocco, South Africa, and Zambia invest hugely in women’s football. This has left the Queens with little to no choice but to return to their former glory days.

After being eliminated in qualifying by arch-rivals Nigeria, Ghana was not invited to this year’s Wafcon in Morocco. They will also be missing next year’s finals in Australia or New Zealand.

We need to ask ourselves: What went wrong with Ghana’s construction on Atta’s foundations?

Scams and coaching changes

“The problem with continuity is that the authorities don’t believe in it,” Isaac Paha (Black Queens coach, 2004-2008), told BBC Sport Africa.

“Once you reach certain levels, they bring in another coach to take your place.” You have better chances of taking a team to the next level if you start coaching younger players.

The final year of Paha’s tenure as the head of the organization saw the GFA appointed Graham Potter As technical director of Black Queens, he is currently the manager of Premier League club Chelsea.

Paha said that Paha believed he was coming to overtake my coaching style.

Despite Potter’s addition, Ghana fell to Australia, Canada, and Norway in the 2007 World Cup. Paha was then dismissed six months After the tournament in China.

Since then, Ghana has not been to the World Cup finals.

Friendly rows

Paha asserts that the GFA didn’t make enough provisions for national coaches. They failed to provide reports about coaching styles, structures and philosophies of their predecessors. The GFA however, responded by saying that coaches have to submit reports on every tournament they attend before making recommendations.

Yusif Basigi, who was assistant coach for two years, failed to qualify Ghana for the 2012 Wafcon. In 2013, Yusif Basigi took over as head coach of Black Queens.

He was the leader of the squad to the All-Africa Games title, 2015, and third at the 2016 Wafcon. However, he was unexpectedly dismissed in March.

Basigi explained that sometimes we would be at training camp for long periods of time, but were not given the platform of international friendslies.

A GFA spokesperson pointed out that the Black Queens had played in the Turkish Women’s Cup, 2020, and the AishaBuhari Cup, September 2021 respectively. This was before they faced Morocco in this year’s Wafcon.

The spokesperson said that the team had done their best over the last two years, with at least four high-profile friendly matches. “Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough for the team to make it to Wafcon.”

Major scandals: Specifically, the bonus row at 2014. Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ Number 12 expose 2018 – also upset the Queens’ course.

Ghana’s government was the first to be contacted. sent over $3m in cash Brazil saved face by Black Stars threat to boycott their last group game, four years later corruption among GFA officials The truth was revealed.

The scandals had a profound impact on all aspects football in the country: grassroots, development and leagues. Pay equality for women’s teams has been a long-running discussion point.

For several years, bonuses for Queens’ 2015-2016 achievements were not settled. Unfulfilled promises masked any passion players had about the national badge.

The squad was forced to protest the Sports Ministry in Ghana in 2020. They threatened to boycott the national matches and sleep on the premises if they didn’t pay a $12,000.

The money was eventually paid after the team had protested.

An uncertain future

Although the Black Queens will not grow without a hierarchy for youth football, Habiba Atta feels that the GFA are making good progress.

“This current GFA [administration] “It’s doing incredible for women’s soccer compared to previous ones,” she said to BBC Africa Sport.

However, humiliation and disappointment still abound.

The Confederation of African Football, or Caf, founded Ghana in July. guilty of age-cheating At Under-17 level, the Black Maidens were banned from the U17 Women’s World Cup’s next two editions and the GFA was fined $100,000.

The U20 World Cup will be held in Costa Rica and Ghana this year. failed to reach The sixth consecutive knock-out stage.

Black Princesses squad was without their captain Evelyn Badu. She sustained an injury during training. The forward however said that the preparations were not perfect.

Badu stated that his absence had a negative impact on the tactical prowess my team-mates, BBC Sport Africa.

Although I don’t want the women’s game to be compared to the Black Stars, all of us know how we are treated. Women’s football should be refined tactically as well as technically.

“We were at camp for four months, preparing for qualifiers. But we couldn’t even play one international friendly game. We were playing against local teams, such as Faith Ladies, Army Ladies, or sometimes with boys from academy sides.

They lost 4-1 to France in the senior friendly, after what Badu called an “uphill struggle” to beat Zambia in their initial qualifier before they headed to Costa Rica.

Badu stated, “I believe a series should be organized for our teams before we play major tournaments. Otherwise, our players might be rusty.”

Badu played Hasaacas ladies the final The inaugural Women’s African Champions League was held last year. Unfortunately, the club could not qualify for the second edition, which will be held in Morocco next month. Ampem Darkoa Ladies missed out.

Positive news is that the Ghana Women’s Premier League (with new sponsorship and broadcast deals) is starting to take shape.

There are many reasons why an international legacy is being destroyed. The GFA and Ghanaian government seem to have failed women’s soccer.

GFA spokesperson said that the organization is committed to giving more attention to grassroots games, and that a technical directorate was established to provide solutions to national challenges.

The future is uncertain, and the GFA must continue to wait for them to commit resources and time to revive the once-venerated Black Queens.