Is the Black Stars for Dede Ayew? - Kwaku Manu flares up over AFCON performance

Ace Kumawood actor, Kwaku Manu has fired direct verbal shots at the Black Stars captain, Andre Dede Ayew, questioning his continued presence in the team.

Kweku Manu is unhappy with Dede Ayew, demanding answers over why the Le Havre forward continue to lead the team despite his perceived loss of form.

Kweku Manu warned that Andre Ayew risks erasing the legacy of his father, Abedi Ayew Pele if he does not retire from international football.

In a video shared via his social media handles, Kwaku Manu noted that Andre Ayew was benched at the AFCON because of his poor form and that he should not have made the list for the tournament.

“I want to ask if the Black Stars is for Dede Ayew. It's not like he's on form and we are campaigning for his exit. He is captain and cannot start games not because he is injured but because he is out of form. Jordan Ayew is still integral to the team but Dede has lost it. He should be careful not to destroy the good works of his father,” he said.

In Ghana’s final AFCON match against Mozambique on Monday, January 24, 2024, Andre Ayew came on in the second half, replacing Joseph Paintsil.

Unfortunately for the Black Stars skipper, he conceded a penalty and also produced a performance that in the view of many was underwhelming.

Reacting to the tactical call by Chris Hughton to introduce Andre Ayew, Kwaku Manu said that the introduction of the skipper marked the downward turn for Ghana in the game.

He reasons that once Ayew came on, the players were under pressure to get the ball to him and that impacted their performance negatively.

“If I were him, I would give up the national team career. When Dede came onto the pitch, things changed because Jordan Ayew and the players were eager to get the ball to him. The was pressure on the players because everyone wanted to pass to Dede Ayew,” he said.

The Black Stars left the tournament, winning none, drawing two and losing one of their three games played in Group B.

A 2-1 defeat to Cape Verde in the opening game was followed by 2-2 draws with Egypt and Mozambique in the second and final group matches respectively.

With just two points and a goal deficit, the Black Stars recorded successive group-stage exits from the AFCON, having suffered the same fate in the 2021 edition.

As a result of the disastrous performance in Ivory Coast, Chris Hughton has been sacked by the Ghana Football Association.

Watch GhanaWeb's review of Ghana's AFCON performance below