Sports News of Wednesday, 22 April 2020

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Supporters have the right to insult players – Wakaso

Black Stars midfielder Mubarak Wakaso Black Stars midfielder Mubarak Wakaso

Mubarak Wakaso has opined that it is within the rights of Ghanaians to voice out their concerns when they are unhappy with the performance of the national team, the Black Stars.

It’s a love-hate relationship between players of the national team and Ghanaians as they get praised when they win and get the opposite when results don’t go the way expected.

Some Black Stars players have in the past expressed worry over how some Ghanaians have sometimes gone overboard with criticisms.

But Wakaso sees nothing wrong with players being bashed for performing below expectations.

“Supporters have the right to insult players. If a supporter insults me, l would say he has the right because he likes me that’s why he is watching and I play football because of supporters. Supporters are part of football and the game is not enjoyable without them. If you insult me, all I do is to work hard and prevent you from insulting or I pretend as if you don’t exist”.

Wakaso in the same interview alleged that partisan politics has infiltrated the Black Stars. He attributed the team’s consistent failure at major tournament to politics.

''I will speak the truth today. Do you know our problem about the game?

''Maybe we know but we don’t want to say it. But I think politics ruins the Blacks Stars at times. When NDC is in power, NPP doesn’t want us to win and vice versa”.

His comment has attracted huge uproar, forcing him to issue an apology.

“A few days ago, in an interview with Angel TV, I commented that partisan politics is one of the factors killing our national team. In fact, I mentioned NPP-NDC specifically”.

“My comment was not intended to malign any political party or make anyone unpopular. However, the commentary it has generated forced me to rethink about my position and I think I shouldn’t have made those comments”

“I wish to withdraw the statement I made and also apologize to both political parties and anyone else who has been affected by my comment. I’m sorry” he posted on his social media handle.