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Soccer News of Sunday, 7 September 2014

Source: ghanasoccernet.com

Konadu fears for Black Stars future without fans support

Ghana assistant coach Maxwell Konadu says continued anger against the Black Stars after the disappointing showing at the World Cup will damage the national team after fans in Kumasi turned against the side in their 1-1 draw with Uganda in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

The anger against the national team was in full display in Kumasi on Saturday when local fans turned against the Black Stars when they played Uganda with massive support for the Ugandans.

Players were consistently booed as they arrived for the match and the negative chorus grew louder when the visitors took the lead in the match at the previously-suggested slaughter house of the Ghanaians.

Fans are still angry over the bonus demands of the players during the World Cup which led to them boycotting a training session and with the current economic difficulties in the country, players have been branded as unpatriotic.

As several Black Stars players are based abroad they have been immune to the criticism over persistent demands for bonuses until they arrived in Kumasi for the match against Uganda.

The protests of disappointment was visible during the match as fans cheered loudly when the Ugandans took the lead before Andre Ayew hit back through a penalty to earn the home side a draw.

Konadu wants angry Black Stars fans to forgive the Black Stars admitting that without the support the side will not thrive.

“Definitely when you are playing before your teeming fans and you realised things are not going behind you it doesn’t help. We know that so many things have gone wrong,” the Black Stars assistant coach said.

“Once we don’t have their support we can’t continue to play well. Whatever has happened has happened and we can’t continue to blame them.”

Konadu’s concerns on GTV were echoed by Ghana FA’s Director of Communications Ibrahim Sannie Daara who pleaded for forgiveness insisting the Black Stars can’t afford not to qualify for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

Ghana will travel to Togo on Wednesday to face the wounded Hawks in their second Group G match after the Togolese lost their opening group match to Guinea on Friday.