We shouldn’t dance to Kevin’s tune

The Brazil 2014 World Cup bells are chiming in the distance, indicating the countdown to what connoisseurs of the game believe could go down as football’s greatest extravaganza in decades.

There should be no doubting why every country would relish the unique pride of being among the select few to answer the roll call at Brazil 2014.

For one thing, Brazil is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that it stages, perhaps, the most memorable World Cup in living memory.

For another, on account of Brazil’s acclaimed status as the home of all that is beautiful about football, the road to the 2014 Mundial is bound to witness a stampede of great technical brains to ensure qualification.

The determination of countries not to miss out on the great global party that will unfold at the end of Brazil 2014 qualifying campaign will surely set the tone for the march towards qualification. This, to all intents and purposes, imposes an obligation on countries with Brazil 2014 on their mind to get their act together.

As a country bent on making a third successive appearance at the world’s most prestigious tournament, Ghana definitely can’t be oblivious to the danger of focusing so much on the urgency of getting one player who left the squad for no justifiable reason back to it. I’m talking about the futile efforts up to this point to convince AC Milan’s Kevin-Prince Boateng to return to the fold of the national team.

On his return from a recent trip to Europe, Black Stars Coach, Kwasi Appiah, was reported to have said that for once he observed a change in the attitude in Boateng with regard to playing for the Stars again.

It looks like Boateng would still like to be given more time to reflect on the possibility of returning to the national team on his own terms. After all, the player quitting the Stars was of his own volition, so if he feels like returning, why should he be coaxed into doing that?

Anytime I think about Boateng’s case, I feel so much hurt by his grotesque display of ingratitude. Many countries would have said ‘To Hell’ to Boateng in the wake of his act of stabbing this country in the back. But Ghanaians, famed for our tolerance and forgiving nature, are ready to shut that painful chapter out of our hearts and take him back like the biblical prodigal son.

However, it is significant that Boateng doesn’t behave in a manner that is suggestive of the fact that he cares a damn about our sensitivity as a people. We have had enough of that attitude already.

If he has genuinely been mulling over a Stars comeback, the time to do that is now and not later. I made the point not too long ago that Boateng, if he was desirous of playing at Brazil 2014, should be part of the qualification process instead of wanting others to do that as was the case in respect of South Africa 2010.

Boateng is a great player by all standards, but that doesn’t mean this country should tolerate a situation where he would want to play God as he is doing now. If anything, things should be the other way round because of what this country has done for him.

If Boateng doesn’t take part in the remaining qualifying matches and would want to join the squad only when qualification has been secured, he should never be part of the Brazil 2014 squad.

To do that will be a recipe for disenchantment in the squad. Mark my words.

It’s a delicate matter we are confronted with, and the way out calls for nothing less than firmness and the protection of our national pride. Need I say anything more?