Opinions of Monday, 6 February 2017

Columnist: Yeboah, Raymond Agbonlahor

Some of the Ghanaian journals are useless

The likes of Ivory Coast and Senegal which had a quality squad left the Afcon tournament in the early stages and yet they got a good welcome by their faithful fans with such a great quotes from some of the renowned journalist and legend footballers.

Uruguayan journalist Eduardo Hughes Galeano says ''in his life a man can change wives, political parties or religion but he cannot change his favourite soccer team''.

Blackstars belong to the country, not the Football Association and anything that belongs to you either good or bad should be supported. When a football team represent a country every symbol showcase at the event, be it national flag or even the national anthem signifies a massive support from that country.

Comparing how the practice of journalism is done in other countries some of the Ghanaian media are confused about their real duty. Ghana couldn't win the AFCON because of the behavior of some of the media men.In fact, the team had four groups of people who were against them at the tournament in Gabon.Aside, some of the Politicians who wanted the team not to win the trophy for the current government, some few selected journals who had planned to fabricate or cook up falsehood against the team and the FA is also one.

Again, some section of the people too were against the goalkeeper Razak Braimah and lastly, those underground would be FA president guys who were sponsoring some radio presenters to publish anything negative against the FA and the Black stars. Even when the tournament ha d not started did they start their negative analyses and yet the boys proved them wrong and took us to the last four which to me wasn't disappointing display.4th place is a recognized stage for any team that reaches there and doesn't comes home empty handed and also recorded for subsequent history as well.Some of the garbage journals went as far as to report that the team's coach Avram Grant is dead. Cheap propaganda reportage was at its best, trying to even suggest that the players were fighting.

They were directly insulting and attacking the players on their sports programmes which provoked Razak into that infamous reaction. Meanwhile, those journalists who did that are the same people who beg money from the players and when they refuse them they decide to tarnish their image with their profession as a tool. l know a journalist who hates Nyantakyi and the FA now because he was once restricted from going to the team's hotel to beg for money.

Those who are calling for Nyantakyi sack must eat back their words because no power aside an election can remove him from office. After watching under 15 league in Sunyani with GFA executive committee member, Lawyer Kweku Ehyia, l am now convinced Ghana football has a great future and l thank the FA, the sports minister-designate, Asiamah for having a wonderful tournament.

Tournament winning is a time process and as it has taken CAMEROON 15 years to add up to their Afcon trophy cabinet l hope it won't be long for Ghana too to emulate them. Nyantakyi has not gotten 15 years in Office l hope by the time he gets there, Ghana too would have won the Afcon. Those negative media guys should mend their ways because their talking can't affect Nyantaky is office in any way, it is a losing battle.

Raymond Agbonlahor Yeboah