Kojo Nyarko, the junior brother of former Ghanaian International Alex Nyarko, says Ghanaian football administrators and fans should respect the decision of his brother to quit the national team for reasons best known to himself. Kojo Nyarko, who is also a management member of Asante Kotoko, noted his brother’s decision should not be misconstrue as a stab in the back for Ghana but also a decision, which could save his football career.
Alex Nyarko, who plays for French club, AS Monaco is reported to have signed a contractual agreement with Monaco, which bars him from next years African Cup of Nations.
The decision to sign that contract was to enable Monaco see Nyarko commit himself to the club without walking out as he did to English club, Everton.
The junior brother-Kojo Nyarko also condemned the Ghana Football Association’s failure to seek the welfare of Ghanaian internationals when they get injured.
He cited players like Otto Addo, of Dortmund in Germany, Peter Ofori-Quaye of Olympiakos in Greece and Mohammed Gargo of Italian side Udinese.
He said such players and other Ghanaian foreign-based players do not receive the FA’s attention when they are injured and that all FA thinks of is get the players for national assignment.
Alex Nyarko last month announced that he would no longer play for the country’s senior national team, the Black Stars again.
Nyarko had earlier on in April this year announced his retirement from football after a fan of his former club, Everton, ran onto the field during a league match and asked that they swap shirts, the inference being that the Ghanaian midfielder was better off the pitch.
Nyarko’s retirement, which was short-lived, saw his return to Everton, and loaned-out to French club, Monaco.
The midfielder participated in only two of the Black Stars matches for the African Cup of Nations finals and was tipped to be part of Coach Osam Doudu’s squad for Mali 2002.
According to the midfielder, he can’t explain his reasons for quitting the Black Stars to the public. He maintains that he is still young and has his personal reasons.
He has also communicated his decision to the soccer controlling body-FIFA, to forestall any problems.
The midfielder says he is embarrassed by Ghana’s inability to qualify for the World Cup considering the poor performance of Nigeria, who were in the same group with Ghana.
