The Team: Hmm, what do I know about Ghana? Well, I know Freddy Adu was born there (and some crazy folks might even claim Obama was born there instead of the usual places conspiracy theorists claim he was born, Kenya or Soviet Russia). I also know the Brits controlled Ghana until the late 1950s, and that they referred to it as “The Gold Coast.” I also know I respect any country that escapes from the Brits rule (like us in the US). But, that is all I got.
The Cream: Well, wait a minute. I also know that Ghana’s football (er, sorry, soccer) team is called “the Black Stars” by their fans, which is a fitting moniker because the squad does feature several stars who happen to be black. Stephen Appia is the Captain, and he’s damn good on the wing, but it is really Michael Essien who is known as the team’s best player. Essien is one of the best defensive midfielders in the world, and he will need his best in South Africa.
The Dream: Other than Egypt, no team has had more success at Africa’s biggest tourney than Ghana. Moreover, the team now has great skill players who ply their trade for the top teams around the globe. The question is though whether they can best the rest in front of large crowds in South Africa. While I like their spunk, I just can’t escape the nagging feeling that this team lacks the chemistry to beat the best teams in the world. I think their odds of winning it all are 80:1.
