Sack Essien, Muntari & Gyan now! (ii)

We used this column in this week's Wednesday edition, to call for the dismissal of three key players of the national soccer team, the Black Stars. The players - Micheal Essien, Asamoah Gyan and Sulley Muntari - showed gross disrespect to the nation, the Football Association, and manager of the team, Milovan Rajevac, by refusing to join the rest of the squad to honour an international friendly match with Angola. Interestingly, a former chairman of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Dr. Nyaho Nyaho Tamakloe, has also added his support to our position that the three key players be sacked from the team.

To Dr. Tamakloe, the players have shown disrespect to the coach and the Minister for Youth and Sports, and do not deserve to be in the team. The GFA has also issued a statement that the conduct of the three players would be investigated.

This terse statement from the GFA shows clearly that the players did not inform their handlers about their decision not to honour the match. The Chronicle is, therefore, at a loss as to what the FA is going to investigate. The players simply decided to embarass the nation, and we do not see the reason why an attempt should be made to treat them with kid gloves.

Fortunately, all the three players ply their trade in top European clubs, and they very well know the sort of sanctions that they would attract from their team managers in their respective European clubs for such insolent behaviour. In extreme situations, when players exhibit such gross indisciplined acts, they could have their contracts abrogated, since great importance is attached to player discipline.

It is with the greatest pride and honour that every footballer features for his national team, because it symbolises the epitome of his career. In the last play off Portugal had to engage in, to secure a ticket for participating in the South Africa 2010 World Cup, an unfit Ronaldo, currently the world best player, ignited a club versus country row, when he decided against Real Madrid's medical advice to feature for Portugal in the decider match. In the end, Ronaldo did not play the match, but his determination to sacrifice for his country was evident and exemplary.

It however looks like some players just want to ride on the backs of their national teams for their selfish interest. In England, for example, foreign players qualify for work permits only if they have achieved 75% play for their national teams.

We are aware of players who virtually beg the national team selectors to allow them make the required percentage to be eligible to play in the English Premiership. Such players turn up for even low profile friendly matches, until they get what they want from the country, and then they begin to show their true colours, by selecting the matches they want to play in.

The Chronicle expects the manager of the team, Milo, to instil discipline in his players. If Ghana is able to produce 20 Micheal Essiens, and yet there is no discipline in the team, the national team will continue to under-perform.

If the Football Association fails to crack the whip on the erring players, it will send wrong signals to the obedient and loyal players in the team. If the outright sacking of the players is too harsh a decision, then they must be dropped from the squad that would be playing in the World Cup in South Africa next year.

We believe that the absence of these players would not affect the future performance of the team, since there are equally competent Ghanaian players knocking on the door of the Black Stars team. No footballer in the Black Stars' team should be considered untouchable, and they must all be given equal treatment.

The Chronicle has nothing personal against these erring players, because we also feel proud when their contributions to their respective clubs and the national teams help to lift high the flag of Ghana.

However, we would not cover any player who indulges in acts of indiscipline, because they consider themselves as untouchables. Ghanaians must make Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari and Asamoah Gyan understand that the national team can do without them. For the time being, we are waiting anxiously for what the GFA and Coach Milo would say.