Brazil 2014: They got the money, kissed it and failed us – Afriyie Ankrah on Black Stars
Former Minister for Youth and Sports Mr. Elvis Afriyie Ankrah has revealed the reasons for Ghana’s abysmal performance at the 2014 FIFA World Cup tournament held in Brazil.
According to him, the Ghana Senior National Team the Black Stars failed to qualify at the first stage of the tournament because the players led by Asamoah Gyan and Stephen Appiah made money their priority and were not in the Latin American Country honour Ghana.
Mr. Afriyie Ankrah revealed that he tried his best severally to convince the players to give off their best after they boycotted training sessions and also threatened to stop playing their first match with the USA but they did not listen.
“I remember I talked to them that Charley… just go and play and deliver, you will get your money and I will talk to the president. Just go and play you will get your money. And you know they missed training. They skipped; they boycotted training after the President spoke with them. I told them that if you miss the training you cannot win. But they told me they are professionals and that the money thing is affecting their concentration and once they get the money they will deliver. And they got the money, kissed the money and we all saw what happened.” Mr. Afriyie Ankrah narrated on Sompa FM in Kumasi in an interview
According to the former Minister, he was optimistic the players could have gone far at the tournament if they had gone through the series of training they were supposed to have and also if they were committed to their country.
He further noted that he broke down before the committee which was set by the President after the tournament because he felt it was a great opportunity for the Black Star players to bring glory to their country and for their lives to change forever.
“So ask yourself since that tournament where are all those people? Apart from Dede. Na who cause am?” I was very convinced that if we had qualified, the sky would have been our limit. Because Germany won the tournament”, he observed.
