‘Don’t brand Black Stars players as unpatriotic’

Former Ghana President John Agyekum Kufuor has watered down the widely held notion that the current crop of Black Stars players have lost their sense of patriotism.

This comes as a result of Ghana’s abysmal performance at the 2014 World Cup, which saw players holding the nation hostage over unpaid appearance fees.

Despite the turmoil in Brazil the senior national team rose out of the ashes to finish second at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

The former football administrator believes the Black Stars’ demand for high bonuses and appearance fees does not make the players unpatriotic.

“It would be recalled that Muntari grew furious in a team meeting in Brazil over unpaid appearance fees during the 2014 World Cup leading to a fight with Black Stars management committee member Moses Armah.

“And Muntari is expected to send a formal apology to the Ghana FA for the physical attack on Mr. Armah before he can be readmitted into the senior national team.

“You get a Muntari perhaps losing his temper occasionally. I don’t think he is any less Ghanaian or less patriotic.

"It’s a profession in which people are making millions all over the world and must be given what is due them,” Kufuor told Starr Sports.

Kufuor was the sitting President when Ghana qualified for its maiden World Cup in Germany.