Afcon exit: Our issue is administrative failure and mismanagement, not lack of talent – Saddick Adams
Sports journalist, Saddick Adams has dismissed claims that the poor performance of the Black Stars is partly due to a lack of player quality.
According to him, the Black Stars team is full of talented players who consistently excel in some of the world’s top leagues.
Speaking on Saturday, Saddick Adams noted that the issue lies not with the players’ abilities but with the institutional framework governing the national team.
“You have the players play week in and week out in the topmost leagues in the world. And they come here to play and you want to sit back and say are these really the players who were playing in the Premier League last week, is this the guy who scored in the Spanish La Liga last week?
“So you can separate it from the players not being talented to an institutional framework that doesn’t function,” he said.
His comment comes after the Black Stars ended their AFCON qualification campaign in Group F with only three points, finishing last in the group.
This marked a historic low for the four-time African champions, who failed to secure a single victory during the group stage.
Addressing comments by Black Stars coach Otto Addo, who reportedly suggested Ghana lacks talent, Saddick Adams disagreed, especially considering the team’s recent AFCON qualification group, which included Sudan, Niger, and Angola.
“I heard the coach Otto Addo subscribing to the fact that Ghana doesn’t have talent. You are in a group with Sudan, Niger and Angola, so not having talent should not be an issue. If we were grouped with Brazil, Spain, or Germany, that would have been a factor,” he argued.
He further highlighted the prowess of Ghanaian players, pointing out that three of the best dribblers in the Premier League, widely regarded as the most competitive league in the world, are Ghanaians.
Saddick Adams maintained that the root cause of the Black Stars’ struggles is administrative failure and mismanagement, not a lack of talent.
“So talent has never been an issue. Our issue is administrative failure and mismanagement,” he added.