Nationality Is Not Like A Shirt...You Can't Keep Changing It Just Like That - Pratt Tells Stars

Following the shambolic performance displayed by the Senior National Football team in their first match against the Teranga Lions of Senegal in the on-going AFCON 2015, several soccer fans and critics on Tuesday, openly expressed their pent-up feelings against the country's football administration. Some even appealed to the Sports Ministry to dissolve the entire playing and management body, while others called for the head of the coach, Avram Grant Also adding his voice to the scathing attacks, Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper Kwesi Pratt, decried the general lack of discipline and nationalism in the current crop of Black Stars players. According to him, the focus of the current players seems to be on the "financial promises" from the administrators instead of having the notion of upholding the image of Ghana. �we all know that the Blackstars will lose. Anyone who did not know this is not a Ghanaian. These people have clearly demonstrated that they are playing the football just for the money and not to make the country proud,� he said. To him, few players like Dede Ayew play in the interest of the nation but the rest appear reluctant to sacrifice for the country. �He loves his country. How many players are like Dede Ayew? In the Black Stars now, how many players are like Dede Ayew?� Mr. Pratt questioned. The ardent football lover also blamed the lack of commitment on the part of the players to the country�s refusal to support veteran footballers who have in the past sacrificed their lives for the country. Citing the likes of Ali Jaraah, Rev Osei Kofi and Emmanuel Quarshie (a Former Captain of the Black Stars currently battling with a life threatening throat sickness - Laryngeal cancer), to buttress his point, Kwesi Pratt bemoaned the practice of neglecting retired footballers who despite having dedicated their life for the country, are left to their own fate. According to him, governments' failure to provide basic medical care for these people has not encouraged the young players to give off their best �The way, we treat our heroes, is nothing to write home about,� he added. He further expressed worry over the behaviour of some players who threaten to quit playing for the country whenever they are sanctioned by the authorities for their misbehavior in the team. �One other thing that worries me is when they misbehave and they are sanctioned, then they would say �I�ve changed my nationality�. If you have changed nationality, just change it and leave; we don�t need you here again. As if nationality is like an attire; you can divest yourself off anyhow, but that shows the caliber of players we have,� he stated.