No team wins because of one person. That was the message from Simon Appiah Junior, Deputy Administrator of the Ghana Sports Fund, as the Black Stars prepare to face The Gambia on September 29.
Appiah Junior said the team’s success depends on every member playing their part. “The goalkeeper, the defenders, the midfield, the strikers and the bench all have a role. The coach plans, the medical team keeps players fit, the supporters lift the spirit. When each does his part, the team succeeds,” he said.
He connected this idea to the wider nation. “A country grows when the teacher teaches well, the farmer farms well, the driver drives carefully and the public servant serves honestly. Everyone has a position to play, and no position is too small. A team with one weak link struggles, and so does a country.”
The Ghana Sports Fund, which Appiah Junior helps run, uses this thinking to guide its work. It focuses on building systems that give everyone a fair chance to contribute, whether on or off the field. “We are not only looking for the next star striker. We are looking to strengthen the whole team, from grassroots coaches to administrators to young athletes just starting out,” he explained.
Appiah Junior also spoke about discipline and accountability in football and the nation. “In football, there are rules, and when they are broken, there are consequences. Nobody is above the game. A nation that applies that principle to itself grows stronger.”
He called on Ghanaians to support the Black Stars. “Let us give our team the support it deserves. And after the final whistle, let us ask ourselves a simple question: how can we bring the same teamwork we cheer for in the stadium into our schools, offices, markets and communities?”
The Black Stars’ match against The Gambia comes as Ghana seeks to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations. The team will need to draw strength from every player, staff member, and fan if they want to advance.
Simon Appiah Junior’s words remind everyone that football is not just about the stars on the pitch. It is about the collective effort of many hands, from the coach to the cleaners, from the players to the fans.
How that spirit will translate beyond the stadium remains to be seen. But the call to teamwork reaches beyond sport, asking every Ghanaian to play their part in the country’s progress.
According to 3News.
