Despite the push to have him run for the vacant Ghana Football Association (GFA) presidential position, it seems all that the businessman Antony Baffoe wants is to concentrate on his role as Deputy General Secretary of the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF).
Baffoe’s name topped a recent “public” poll by a section of media as the desirable candidate to “lead the change” and take charge of football matters in the West African country.
The nation’s football governing body presidency became vacant after Kwesi Nyanktayi stepped down five months ago following the expose by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
“People have been asking me when I will be the next GFA president. I am not interested in becoming the next GFA president for now. I don’t know where Allah will take me in the next two or three years,” said Baffoe.
The Ghanaian football is currently being run by a normalization committee that was appointed by the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA). One of its mandates is to organize elections by February next year.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] “As at now, I am happy working for CAF. That’s not to say that I am turning my back on Ghana, but right now, I am not interested in the role.” [/perfectpullquote]
However, the former Ghanaian international who was named at his latest role at CAF in November last year, called upon ex-footballers to come out and fight for the position.
“It will be great to see an ex-footballer becoming the GFA president, but he must be prepared because the job won’t be easy.”
“We need people like Abedi Pele, Yusif Chibsah and Sammy Kuffour. They know football and they can contribute a lot to our football,” Baffoe concluded.
Baffoe was capped 25 times for Ghana between 1991 and 1994 and was captain of the Black Stars for the final match of the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations in Senegal against Cote d’Ivoire, which Ghana lost 11-10 on penalties.
He started his club career in Germany with clubs such as FC Koln and Fortuna Dusseldorf before moving to France and Hong Kong before ending his career in 1999 with Venezuelan club Caracas FC.
After retirement, he ventured into television and event management and also launched a cause for the protection of the right of footballers in his native Ghana.
He is a holder of CAF Licence ‘A’ Coaching Certificate and has attended various FIFA training programmes in administration, and doubles as a FIFA instructor in administration and management.
Baffoe also serves as General Coordinator for CAF and FIFA-sanctioned tournaments such as the last FIFA World Cup grand finale at the Maracana stadium in Brazil.
