‘I risked my career to help Ghana win 1978 Nations Cup’

Ghana legend Mohammed Polo has revealed risking his career by playing with an aggravated injury to help the Black Stars win the Africa Cup of Nations in 1978.

The ‘dribbling magician’ had sustained an ankle injury a year before while playing for Hearts of Oak.

But Polo who was one of Ghana’s most relied upon players at the time could not be left back for the Nations Cup which Ghana eventually won.

Polo who is now a coach has revealed playing with an aggravated injury which could have ended his career so he could help the Black Stars win a third African title.

“In the year we won the Nations Cup in 1978 I played the tournament with an injury and could have easily ended my career,” he said.

“I sustained the injury in 1977 but I was being used constantly and ended up aggravating the injury.

“It was very serious and could have easily ended my career.

“But I thank God that I sailed through and we won the competition with Abdul Razak winning the best player.”

Polo’s plight in 1978 is a vague representation of what playing for the Black Stars meant to them during their time even though the game was not as rich as it is in present times.

The former Hearts of Oak great fears this unconfined love for the Black Stars is fast fading out.

“Wearing the national team jersey meant the world to us but this is gradually being forced the other way round,” he added.

“It is the fault of the players, the media, administrators, everybody is to be blamed.”