Ghana psychologist wants wives, girlfriends in Black Stars camp

Ghana’s team psychologist for the 2014 World Cup Professor Joseph Mintah has submitted a proposal to the Ghana FA to consider allowing players to bring their wives or girlfriends to the tournament insisting that it will boost their performance during the competition in Brazil.

The university lecturer cum football coach says with the Black Stars going away for more than six weeks, research has confirmed that the players could start agitation because of the absence of their spouses after 21 days of being away from their families.

But the ex-Dwarfs warned of the dangers of bringing girlfriends to the camp as it could spiral out of control with unmarried players who have several girlfriends or who decide to change girlfriends at will with many pretty ones in Brazil likely to be attracted.

The debate in Ghana has been sparked by the recent revelation by Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi that he will allow his married players to bring their wives to the team’s camp but barred girlfriends from joining the Super Eagles in Brazil in June.

England have gone a step further by allowing both wives and girlfriends to join their camp as the long pre-tournament camping without sex could hamper concentration.

Prof. Mintah says the presence of wives and girlfriend could prove positive for the Black Stars as research has shown that being away from their spouse for three weeks could spark off protests from players.

“If we allow the players to send their wives and fiancées to the World Cup, it will grant them adequate concentration for the assignment at hand because they will no longer think about home, but this must be done with lot of caution especially when dealing with the unmarried ones,” Prof. Mintah cautioned.

Prof. Mintah has proposed that the spouses must stay at the nearby hotel while a timetable must be drawn for players to meet their spouses to ensure effective control and monitoring of the system.

He added that the players must bear the cost of sending their spouses to the tournament.

With players bursting with energy, about six weeks without sex could indeed hamper their concentration.

Many religious followers of the Black Stars think that the presence of girlfriends will bring bad luck to the team as they are unmarried and could bring the wrath of God.