The decision of Everton's Ghanaian international midfielder Alex Nyarko to quit football after a fan abused him in the pitch during an English Premiership clash against Arsenal has provoked mixed reactions back home in Ghana.
Nyarko, 27, is still being considered as an integral part of Ghana's national team, the Black Stars, despite his long absence from the side since playing in an African Nations Cup qualifier against Lesotho last September.
Days after Nyarko announced his surprise decision, Ghanaians are still moaning that his retirement from the game is pre-mature, although many agree that the behaviour of the fan, whose distasteful attack was splashed across the front page of the Graphic Sports, was uncalled for and highly provocative.
Black Stars coach, Fred Osam-Doudu has always preferred Nyarko as his midfielder schemer, a case buttressed by the fact that the player's last appearance in a Ghanaian jersey was under him.
But whether Osam-Duodu would call Nyarko out of retirement to play for the Black Stars in next month's World Cup qualifier against Sierra Leone is another matter.
A racial twist has been given to the whole story as well. Family sources say Nyarko was particularly upset about the behaviour of the fan because that was the second time in a week by the same person after the game against Liverpool.
Though football has often been hailed as a unifying force, prompting it's nomination for a Nobel Prize award, racism just refuses to go away from the game. The distasteful banners in Italy and the refusal of Verona to take African Footballer of the year Patrick Mboma on loan because he is black are reminders that the world's most popular sport is still far from being a unifying force.
It's an issue for discussion among FIFA's agenda when the football world gather for the Conference against Racism in Buenos Aires on June 6 this year.
No matter the resolutions that would be adopted against racism in Buenos Aires it would be interesting to see how far it would go to convince Nyarko to stay on in England.
He has been ill at ease at Everton and once complained about the physical demands of the English game which he says has "very little room for creativity".
Yet he went to England with glowing attributes from some of the games most respected judges. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was an admirer, who had considered signing Nyarko while former Everton midfielder Olivier Dacourt also recommended him to Everton manager Walter Smith.
With the incident leaving Nyarko traumatised, it could just be the final straw to a perennial problem for African players - that Everton is not a good ground to seek fame and fortune. Nigerian international Daniel Amokachi never felt at home there just as Ivorian Ibrahim Bakayoko.
Nyarko had played in Romania, after representing Ghana at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, winning a bronze medal. Nyarko has played in two Nations Cup finals since. In 1993, he was a member of Asante Kotoko when they lost the African Champions Cup to Zamalek of Egypt after a penalty shoot-out.
Nyarko, who is still in England, will hold talks with Everton officials alongside his Swiss manager this week. If he reverses his decision, Nyarko could end up in France or Switzerland, in leagues where he is still highly regarded after excelling with RC Lens and Basle FC.
Relatives say Nyarko has a tough mental nature which would see him through the incident to bounce back into action.
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