Editorial: Never Say Die, That’s The Spirit

The din, which normally characterizes national discourse in the name of party politics, has for once been relegated to the background. The whole nation is for now united by a common desire. A desire nurtured by the magic of football, to see our common heritage VICTORIOUS.

With the advent of the World Cup tournament, which kicked off in South Africa on Friday, June 11, 2010 Ghanaians appear to be on the same wavelength, poised to cheering their national team on together to victory, notwithstanding the seeming lack of adequate preparation of the team in the run-up to the tournament. For some Ghanaians, the progression of the national team in the World Cup tournament offers them an opportunity to do brisk business to improve their economic fortunes. And the prayer of such people is that the team keeps on moving onward to victory.

Even though it is only one of mandatory three group matches that has been played as of the time of going to press, it is obvious from the performance of the players that the team is out there to play its heart out.

The prayer of Ghanaians is that at least the team progresses to the next stage of the tournament. That can, however, happen only when the players put up a little more effort than they ordinarily would, considering that the World Cup stage is where they are also exposed to the greatest of opportunities for advancing their careers.

So long as the Black Stars continue to put up a sterling performance at the World Cup, they would be holding the souls of Ghana together.

One thing that Ghanaians would cherish about the Stars is that even in a match that they would lose, the players should be seen to have played their hearts out. In that way, the people would sympathise with them that victory did not crown their efforts.

However, any lackadaisical approach to a game that they lose would let them incur, and justifiably so, the wrath of the people.

For now, taxpayers are not concerned about how much the players are taking home as their appearance fees or winning bonuses. Concerns about these costs only come into play when the taxpayer believes the players have not delivered to their known abilities to deserve of taxes they paid from their sweat.

So far, ‘the boys are good’ as one of the slogans of local club, Accra Hearts of Oak goes. And still from that ancient club of Ghana, The Business Analyst would like to borrow from them and say to the Black Stars – Never Say Die, Until The Bones Are Rotten.

- The Business Analyst -businessanalystgh@yahoo.com