Jerome Okyere: Black Stars’ round of 32 exit came as no surprise

Sports journalist Jerome Okyere says Ghana’s elimination from the FIFA World Cup at the Round of 32 stage was largely in line with expectations, given the state of the national team in recent years.

Speaking on Citi Eyewitness News on Monday, July 6, Okyere said he had been cautious about Ghana’s chances throughout the tournament, insisting that his assessment was based on the team’s performances rather than a lack of patriotism.

“I remember telling you, and it wasn’t because I was unpatriotic, that I was just cautious,” he said.

According to Okyere, the current Black Stars squad has not matched the standards set by previous generations of the national team, making it difficult to expect a deep run at the World Cup.

“The Black Stars I have seen in the last six to seven years haven’t been anywhere close to the Black Stars I saw 15 years ago,” he stated.

He argued that the team’s preparation and the broader management of Ghana football also limited expectations ahead of the competition.

“Given the circumstances the team prepared and how the team and generally speaking our football has been run, there wasn’t anything to expect,” he said.

Okyere noted that before the tournament he believed Ghana’s prospects would largely depend on the tactical decisions of the coaching staff, particularly in key matches.

He pointed to the Black Stars’ performance against England as one of the few occasions that offered supporters genuine hope that the team could exceed expectations.

However, he maintained that progressing beyond the knockout stages was always going to be a difficult task.

“If there was any hope at all, it would be dependent on what the coach does and who starts, especially in the game against England. Beyond that, it was going to be very difficult,” he said.

The sports journalist added that he was not surprised by Ghana’s defeat to Colombia, noting that reaching the Round of 32 had always appeared to be the likely end point of the team’s campaign.

“Even if we make it out of the group to the Round of 32 stage, that could be the last stop. It happened as some of us expected,” he remarked.

Ghana’s World Cup journey ended after a 1-0 loss to Colombia in Kansas City, with Jhon Arias scoring the decisive goal in the 14th minute to send the South Americans through to the Round of 16.

While the result disappointed many supporters, Okyere believes the outcome reflected the realities facing the current Black Stars team and should not have come as a surprise.