Jordan And Dede: It Takes More Than Big Names

To Have Sucessful National Team

The Ghana Black stars team has been hit with a number of resignations and sabbaticals over these few years with the over 23 million Ghanaian football analyst are given a field day in their various corners to read meaning into these resignations and giving their judgments anytime it happens. I always listen to these arguments on radio, barber shops, trotro stations, drinking bars and always walk away saying to myself “everybody is entitled to his/her own opinion.” As a Ghanaian I am also entitled to my own opinion and it is for this reason that I want to share my “baby mind” opinion with you.

I personally find the resignation of the Ayew brothers and all other resignations or sabbaticals very irritating, unprofessional and silly depending on the circumstances surrounding the decision. I am yet to find any of the reasons behind these resignations convincing enough except that it makes me get the impression that the men behind these explanations for their resignations are either selfish, self centered, full of pride and unprofessional.

I personally want to delve into the resignation of the Ayew brothers and leave the other “sleeping dogs to lie” for now. What I first want us to know which I believe most people know is that big names don’t win cups for national teams for it was so, the likes of Eric Cantona would have won all there was to be won in International football for France. If big names played football the English national team would have won all there is to be won over the years. Our next door neighbors Ivory Coast would have dominated Africa and the world of International football if big names guaranteed the success of National teams. All I want to say is that it takes unity, dedication, discipline and above all humble players to make national teams successful.

I find the excuse of Jordan Ayew very childish and poorly thought through. What I have read and heard in the news is that he (Jordan) will return to the Black stars when he is assured of a permanent spot in the Black stars. What I want to ask is that has the call up into our national team become so cheap that an individual will determine his on conditions upon which he will respond to a national team call up? If his conditions becomes the case then each of the 23 players would also demand a permanent position if they think they are playing well at their various clubs, this will mean that nobody will be ready to warm the bench. Even worse, every player who gets a call up into national must be called up each and every time provided they playing at club level. This will definitely be impossible since there are great Ghanaian players playing top flight football all over the world who also deserve to be given the opportunity to wear the national colors. I want Jordan to know that the Black star team is not his family’s property for him to choose and pick circumstances under which he will play for Ghana. As a professional he should know that every coach has the right to choose players who fit into his tactics at a particular time.

As for Dede Ayew, the least said the better. After putting up that unprofessional behavior when he was substituted in the game against Malawi and his subsequent apology, I personally felt his ego was becoming too big for him to fit into our national team and he has gone ahead to prove me right since he has not shown any remorse through his behavior as member of the national since he apologized. I want Dede to ask his team mates who play for other countries if they don’t have problems within their national football associations. We live in a world full of politics and every human institution has its own internal ramblings but we try as much as possible not to wash our dirty linens outside. What makes one a successful professional in any chosen is field is how he or she pushes for excellence despite the obstacles. I don’t believe the petty problems we have in the national team are going to end anytime soon since they are humans and will continue to be imperfect, therefore I want to tell Dede and all his followers that Dede should not think of returning to the national team soon since the management team of the Black stars who will always be made up of human being, hence they will always be imperfect and will not be able to think like he does and therefore will occasionally have disagreements with him.

After all Egypt equaled and surpassed our record in Africa with local and less known players. Zambia came from nowhere to win the cup in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea and recently Nigeria came without the big names egos to win the cup.

It takes players with humility and skills to make a national team successful, so Ayew brothers, we all know you got the skills so please go and acquire the humility and come so that we can all work together and lift the name of Ghana high.

KENNETH NII YEBOAH

King_ken2@yahoo.com