Coach Bashir Hayford apologises for verbal row with journalist

Black Queens coach Bashir Hayford has apologized for his angry reaction to a question asked by a journalist in the aftermath of Ghana’s shocking defeat to Mali at the ongoing 2018 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations.

The Black Queens coach did not take kindly to a question by a media man which sort to question his competence as a coach.

Reacting to a question by the journalist on if he is ‘tactically bankrupt’, the former Asante Kotoko coach, slammed the journalist for using ‘borrowed’ words on him.

“I want you to help me define tactically bankrupt, this phrase has been borrowed and you use it anyhow. How can you say that when you saw what the referee has done and how much we psyched these girls. When we say someone is tactically bankrupt it means they were not able to put a team together and played without any pattern but we dominated this game, so who is bankrupt.” he retorted angrily.

But in a press conference ahead of Ghana’s group game against leaders, Cameroon, coach Bashir apologized unreservedly for his actions, explaining that he was overwhelmed with emotions as a result of the defeat.

“I will like to apologise for what happened on Tuesday. Sometimes I become very irritating or emotional and it is natural because it is reflex action. When you want to sneeze, nobody can stop you to sneeze because it is a reflex action. I was very sorry for that but the words the guy used I have checked again and I think you people should tell him I don’t deserve that word that he used one me. When you say a bank is bankrupt it means it’s empty so if someone who is about 26 or 30 years telling me who has coached for 30 years and in my fourth national assignment that I’m empty, naturally I will react”, he said.

He also appealed to Ghanaians to come in their numbers on Friday to support the Black Queens who will go up against the free-scoring Cameroon side.

He assured Ghanaians that her charges will sacrifice everything for victory tomorrow which will put them in place for qualification to the semi-finals.

“The crowd is what we need for victory. Any country that has advanced is due to the home support and the way they support the team. The impact is great because when they see the crowd they know that all of them are behind them and so they want to deliver”, he said.