Let me first believe that this is just media propaganda to ‘tease’ the Ghanaian soccer world just to raise our ‘blood pressure.’ However, if the story is from a very reliable source and that Andre and Jordan Ayew have tended in their resignation letters and withdrew their services from the Black Stars, then all that I want to say to them is ‘fare thee well.’ I wish them well and good luck in their ‘soccer expeditions.’

The Black Stars as a team was there long before the Ayews and even their father, Abedi Ayew, were born. And the Black Stars will live on long after the Ayews are gone. No one player is bigger than the Black Stars. No one player can ever play and win a match. It has always, and it will always take teamwork to win a soccer match. This bad precedent has been allowed to decimate the Black Stars for far too long. The GFA has shown weakness and partiality in players’ treatments in the Black Stars, hence these shameful behaviors from a section of the players. The GFA’s administrative weakness and partiality in player discipline is the underlying factor to all this despicable behaviors in some of our players in the National Team. Let me take readers back to the days when Abedi Ayew was the captain of the senior national team. The GFA gave him a special treatment to the point that they chartered a special jet to fly him from France to Ghana to honor the Stars’ match against the Ivory Coast at the Kumasi sports stadium. Abedi, it was rumored, was part of the selection board at the Black Star camp. Even though, the GFA denied the perceived favoritism in the Stars’ camp, it was very obvious to us the fans. There was a sharp rift in the Black Stars; the Abedi camp on one side against the Tony Yeboah camp on the other side. Yet there GFA swept everything under the carpet and denied flatly there existed anything of that sort. The end results were there for all to see and judge for ourselves; the Black Stars, in spite of reaching the peak of their strength during that era, became non-achievers in all their campaigns. The team disintegrated and but for the wise leadership of Stephen Appiah and Michael Essien, nobody knows what would have become of the senior national team. Corruption in Ghana has made all evils possible in the country. Life in Ghana is not based on what one has honestly worked for, but by how much he was able to pay in bribes and whom he knew. I do not single out any person or group of people from this social canker. Be he a church minister, a chief, an Imam, a police officer, a supreme court justice, a politician, a soccer player, and you name them, we are all very rotten to the bone in Ghana. This has given room for anybody to get away with evil while those in authority look on sheepishly. Of course they dare not talk about the speck in the other person’s eyes while they have logs in their own eyes.

This is the system that has crept into the Black Stars and had gained roots in the minds of many of our national team players; that “Ghana needs me I don’t need Ghana.” When Asamoah Gyan was criticized by fans for having wasted a penalty kick, he withdrew his services from the national team under the pretense of taking a temporary break. He had to be persuaded by some GFA officials to rescind his decision. He came back and was rewarded with the armband as the captain of the national team.

Now the Ayews are following suite. For no apparent reason, whatsoever, they have retired from the National team. I have nothing against them for their decision this way. It is up to them to do what they want with their lives. But it will be silly for any GFA officials to try to persuade them to return. Because each time that happens it destroys the spirit of discipline which soccer teams need to stay focused. Besides, it sets bad precedent to the other players who have stayed loyal with the team. Any player who gets the opportunity to play in the national teams brings honor first to himself before honor to his nation. It is a privilege to be called into the national teams and our players must learn that immediately.

Those who contributed honestly and unreservedly to the National Teams still have their names in the hearts of Ghanaians. Think of Jones Atuquayfio, Wilberforce Mfum, Osei Kofi, Awuley Quaye, Shamo Quaye, Baba Yara, Offie Doodo, James Acqua, Abdul Razak, Ibrahim Sunday Malik Jabir, Stephen Appiah and several others who served and gave off their hearts to Ghana in soccer. Mohamed Ahmed Polo, lest I forget!

Let the Ayews and the Kevin Prince Boatengs go. The Ghana Black Stars still remain formidable.

By Owoahene Acheampong