Former England footballer Gary remains the only soccer star tio have hanged his boosts without attracting a yellow card. That high-profile accolade is worthy of emulation but it appears too tall an order for the current breed of players to follow suit.
When Abedi Pele was at his peak as a player, he sacrificed all club and personal engagements and will respond to national assignment, and whenever he did he did it with uttermost commitment and dedication.
Another sports legend who has won himself many admirers is our own professor Azumah Nelson, former WBC champion. A thunderous applause greeted the mention of his name for an award at the maiden All Africa Sports Awards ceremony at the State House in Accra a few weeks ago.
The warm reception prompted a senior colleague, Maurice Quansah of the Graphic Communications Group Limited to remark "Kofi, are you aware that Azumah is one of the most liked sportsmen in the country and beyond?"
Those refreshing words goes to show how the boxing professor successfully and humbly handled his fame and success, but the same cannot be said of former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.
In showbiz, stars as the late master keyboardist Kiki Gyan of Osibisa fame and actress Suzy Williams could not handle their success at the peak of their careers cutting short of their lives at tender ages.
The three match ban of Chelsea's star Michael Essien has generated intense public outcry especially among the Ghanaian soccer populace.
And for those who watched the Ghana-Benin Zenith Bank four-nation tournament, they will bear me witness that Essien's gross misconduct to Nigerian's FIFA referee Emmanuel Imiere was appalling.
His behaviour attracted comments especially from the press stand and I think it was not good for a player of Essien's caliber.
The Ghanaian midfielder for me, is one of the few gifts to happen to Ghana football and the world at large and if he will apply breaks to how fast he is "running" he will travel very far and not end his career as the Eric Cantonas and Paul Cascoings when so much was expected of them.
Blessed with huge natural strength, skill and speed Essien stands tall among his peers and has the ability to organize his back line with par excellence.
Some have even argued that but for his absence in the Ghana-Brazil game in the Germany 2006 World Cup, he would have organized the team's defense to avoid the unnecessary offside traps which the team paid dearly for.
His three-match ban by referee Andre Marina for pushing striker Kenny Miller in the their league game against Derby last Saturday has created vacuum in the team and has left the team worried about a perfect replacement.
That is the level of influence he wields both in the national team and the English premier side.
However, it appears his fame and success is getting into his head(I stand to be corrected) and if he does not thread cautiously, he will wake up one morning and like Biblical Sampson, he will realize that "his strength is gone" , God forbid What Essien should not forget is that his glittering stint at Chelsea has won the English club many Ghanaian faithfuls, an indication of the fact that the same people will turn their back against him if he finds himself in the bad books of the fans.
"A king without subjects is no king " (Paraphrased). a word to the wise
