Muntari: A Decision Gone Too Far

Ghanaians are passionate about their football. Majority of us have limited opportunity to participate in other sports. Only a few events in athletics that require minimal gear and equipment are introduced in the educational institutions. Other sports, such as boxing have gained prominence and a couple of Ghanaian boxers have proved their credibility and excelled at international levels.

Sports like cricket, hockey, tennis, golf, badminton, squash, etc., are exclusive to students in elite institutions or people from upper class homes. Most people would have no exposure to the above sports until they are too old to learn the requisite skills, and for that matter, are unable to be competitive at recognised levels of the sports.

Most of us start football very early when we have mastered the skills of walking and running. Ghanaian children at a certain age would kick anything on their paths; from empty cans, oranges, etc., to do-it-yourself footballs made using fluids extracted from the rubber tree. It is from football that we develop our early social and team-working skills.

I remember my own childhood at Dormaa where young boys from my suburb would go to another part of the town and quickly arrange a football match on Sundays after church or during school vacations. We played bare footed on the back streets, with two conspicuous objects carefully placed apart to form the "goal posts". On our lucky days, the matches attracted spectators that included local girls and mothers, who cheered us on. We developed some phraseology to describe various tricks in the game to get maximum applause: suuliya – when a dribbler passes the ball through an opponent's legs; “afuru bekyere” or stomach direction – kicking the ball anyhow without recognition of the consequences; and “mmaa nkanfour" - kicking the ball so high up to get applause from predominantly lady spectators or those oblivious of the rules irrespective of the consequences on the game. Yes, football was played for fun. I remember one local goal keeper who would do up to three somersaults on bare ground, before catching the ball. I wondered whether that over-elaborate acrobatic goal keeping was within the acceptable rules.

Through these back street matches, boys with natural abilities in the sport became local heroes. Some of them even had opportunities to become regular players for the Black Stars. Former players like Agyeman Gyau, Kwasi Owusu, Sarah Mensah, George Arthur, etc were all probably back street footballers from nearby towns.

Some of the current Black Stars players may have developed their talents along similar paths. Players like Muntari, Essien. Pantsil, Mensah, etc are local heroes. Some of us turn our televisions on or attend Black Stars matches to see these players who compete at the highest level regularly with celebrated footballers from elsewhere.

The kids look up to these players for inspiration. It is therefore essential that they lead exemplary lives, become ambassadors of the sport and exhibit the highest form of discipline and professionalism both on and off the pitch.

Footballers are humans. To expect impeccable behaviours from them at all times amounts to asking for the impossible. If they commit an offence and are able to render a genuine apology, then we as adults must be prepared to swallow our pride, unclench our fists (borrowing from President Obama) and embrace them with no pre-conditions.

Muntari has been dropped from the Black Stars owing to an apparent misdemeanour regarding his failure to attend a FIFA sanctioned match. There may be other issues regarding the coach's recent visit to Italy to meet one Balotelli who has made it sufficiently clear he does not wish to play for Ghana. It is understood Muntari has apologised for the first offence and paid the fine imposed. For the second issue, details of the offence committed are not definitive. It is however clear: the coach (Milovan Rajevac) was unsuccessful in his attempt to secure the services of Balotelli; and he has also lost Sulley Muntari, a valuable member of his squad.

Balotelli may have genuine reasons to decline an invitation to play for Ghana. However, Muntari has played several times and accomplished a lot on the football pitch for Ghana, at his age. He was a valuable member of the squad that clinched back-to-back qualifications in both the African Nations and the World Cups. I still remember some of the goals he has scored to get us out from the verge of defeat. Is it a wise decision to sacrifice and make him a scapegoat? Perhaps we have several "afuru bekyere" players waiting on the sidelines to step into the shoes of one of our most experienced and inspirational players.

Life is not black or white and any decision may be 'right' in a limited sense. With a long injury list, dropping Muntari from the squad to Angola may be the coach’s quest to assert authority on his players gone too far! I would have wished Sulley Muntari was in Angola with his longstanding Black Stars team mates. What do you think?

Albert Kontoh, UK albertk@live.co.uk