Please Leave The Coach Alone

Last season, in a game between Manchester City and Arsenal in the Premiership, Adebayor, who had in the previous season been an Arsenal striker, scored for Manchester City against his former club. What happened after that has now become folklore and will be described in footballing circles for generations to come.
For, Adebayor, peeved by incessant attacks on his dedication and application by Arsenal fans prior to his departure from the club, run the whole length of the football pitch to kneel in front of the Arsenal fans to celebrate. A rout nearly broke out as the incensed Arsenal fans charged forward, baying for the blood of the footballer.

Football etiquette is dynamic, for players and managers develop certain mannerisms and behaviour every new day. There was a time when a striker scored a goal and just run off to celebrate wherever he chose. It seems these days that a goal-scorer has to acknowledge the person who gave him the pass in the first place, so they turn round and point towards the assistant in a show of appreciation. Goal scorers who forget to do this are now scorned upon. Nobody knows where this came from, but it seems fair and right and is thus encouraged.
Even more interesting is the refusal of footballers to celebrate when they have scored against a former club. Adebayor’s antics were extreme, but it would seem perfectly alright for a footballer to celebrate with the team that currently paid his wages. But then again, who can possibly blame a footballer for appreciating, that while they remain thoroughly professional and will strive hard to actually earn their living even if it means scoring against a club that was once good to him, it would be unwise, even foolish to exhibit any behaviour that might offend his previous employers. A wise man once told me, that when you walk out of a door, whatever the circumstances, make sure you do not bang the door, for the reality of life is such that, you may have to come walking through that same door again someday.

Footballers and football fans all around the world understand this, and so, how Ghanaians were expecting Milovan Rajevac, having just thrust a sword into the heart of his beloved nation in the course of his professional duty, to go hugging Ghanaians and running around the pitch in celebration, is beyond me.
Serbia is a newly independent country, having separated from the previous Serbia and Montenegro, which had also been part of the previous Yugoslavia. The country is ablaze with extreme nationalistic sentiments. This is their first world cup as an independent country and an opportunity to lift up their flag to the rest of the world. They qualified as winners of a group that included France and were looking forward to a good opening game. To have been licked by a well-drilled Ghanaian side, coached by a Serb, would have irked badly.

What Milo was not going to do was make matters worse by openly celebrating with Ghanaians. And indeed, would it have been hypocritical for him to have done so. For, let’s face it, if he had not been working for Ghana, he would have been holding aloft the Serbian flag, singing aloud the Serbian national anthem and urging them on to victory. Which Ghanaian ever put the love of their job above the love of their family? Why are we then expecting the coach to be different? What would happen to his family in Serbia if an impression was erroneously created of him being a traitor? Never underestimate what football can do to people. The assistant coach of the Black Stars should have understood the sensitivity of the situation and not gone making a fool of himself with his over-exuberant celebration.

After all, what are we celebrating? Winning one football match in the world cup? Did anybody see the Germans after their 4-1 victory over the Australians? There were no celebrations as such. Because the Germans, with all their experience in playing in and winning the world cup, understand, that this is just one victory in seven, if they intend to win the world cup. There will be time to celebrate later. At the moment, as far as the Germans are concerned, there is work to do. It shows how inexperienced Ghanaians are with the whole world cup experience when we go overboard with celebrations after winning just one match. What does it say of our mental state in relation to the world cup, compared to the Germans? The Germans truly believe they are going all the way, Ghanaians are thankful for one victory. That is the difference.

So, rather than having a go at a poor coach who stubbornly stuck to his professional ideals and helped Ghana win, we should be thankful to him. He put his job first, and that is more than can be said for most Ghanaians.

Papa Appiah
Papaappiah.blogspot.com
Lexeve@live.com