He Cannot Take The Heat

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) should not be asking Asamoah Gyan, the Azonto dancer of a football star, to reconsider his alleged decision to quit the Black Stars "indefinitely" because of "verbal abusive" from some Ghanaian fans. If Asamoah Gyan cannot handle the pressures that come with being in the limelight as a football star, he should gracefully exit and allow those who can handle the heat play ball.

There is plenty of blame to go around from the technical handlers - the coach - to the entire playing team for the "Bata Heartbreak." So it would be unfair to blame Asamoah Gyan solely for the Black Stars losing to eventual tournament winners Zambia at the semi-final stage following his penalty missed in regulation time. But football fans frustration and criticism of Gyan is understandable. Okumfo Dumfo Gyan over the years has brought Ghanaians as much joy as heartbreaks. If you ask me, Gyan owes Ghanaians an apology for letting them down yet again in the second successive tournament than Ghanaians owe him praise. Instead, not for the first time, Gyan is being ill advised and is threatening to quit the national team because he feels he is being unjustly vilified for the misfortunes of the Black Stars.

Yes, a great many football superstars - the Baggios, Maradonas, Zidanes, Messis, Ronaldos - to mention just a few, have all missed crucial penalty kicks in their days so Gyan is not the first and definitely would not be the last footballer to miss a penalty kick. However, that is where the similarities between Gyan and such football greats end. Football fans sympathize with some footballers in such letdown moments as missing a penalty; others, they vilify. And Asamoah Gyan makes the vilification list.

So the obvious question is why pick on Asamoah Gyan? It is all about a player's ATTITUDE on and off of the pitch. For all the wonders Lionel Messi is conjuring on the football field, he is as grounded as a concord. Pun intended. It did not take Cristiano Ronaldo long enough to chalk down a dose of a humility pills following his haughty comments that people are envious of him because he is rich and good looking.

Talent alone does not lead to greatness. Heard about LIN-SANITY! The Knicks and basketball fans are not swooning over Jeremy Lin not only over his talents, but his personality and attitude. Asamoah Gyan's talent as a footballer is not in question but his attitude as a footballer STINKS. Yeah, I said it! And that is why unlike many great players who enjoy the support and sympathy of the fans even when they disappoint, he Gyan is getting the stick.

While i strongly condemn fans that have gone to the extent of threatening Asamoah Gyan and his family, Gyan as a professional footballer should know that he would incur the displeasure of Ghanaian soccer fans anytime he lets them down. Fans are more forgiving when a player works his socks off when playing for the Black Stars, dare I mention Dede Ayew. However, football fans are less tolerant of over-their-heads football stars who let them down and then turn around with threats of quitting the national team.

The GFA should be preoccupied with finding a solution for the perennial problem of lack of potent and reliable strikers for the Black Stars instead of worrying over a one-out-of ten striker who has shown to be more interested in doing some Azonto dance than actually keeping his focus to score first.

Source: Kofi Hene @CediPost