<<Print>>

Sulley Muntari has extraordinary qualities on the pitch and no one had ever rule out Muntari’s resourceful ability to find a way to help his team on the pitch.
 
He does what he thinks is right on the pitch, even if others find it offensive and he hardly ever backs down or apologise to the opponent. He is feisty; self-confident and seriously courageous. Occasionally he is gone way over the top. But it’s been undeniably effective at times.

This is why Muntari could have real gut to walk to a management committee member of the Black Stars - Moses Armah (Mosespacka), and punch him in the face at the Brazil 2014 World Cup. Muntari was outraged by the very notion that government was delaying their $100,000 appearance fee.

Mosespacka, the business tycoon and owner of Medeama had narrated the ferocious attack and the bruises he took on his chin at a Black Stars meeting over the discussion of the appearance fee at a commission of enquiry.

It was anticipated that, the showdown between Muntari and Mosespacka would have been brutal, bloody, vicious and extremely fascinating if their brawl had continued in the latter’s hotel room in Brazil.

Sulley Muntari and his colleagues whacked the emotion of Ghanaians through the Black Stars’ disastrous tournament in Brazil. After Ghana got eliminated at the group stage, Muntari’s apology never came.

But after almost two years, the muted apology is over now as Muntari has written to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to apologise. It has become a riveting stuff and frankly, whichever side of the divide you sit, you may have your own opinion.

If footballers want to be better people and serve their country, they must be less obsessed with money but not to hit fellow humans who do not agree on issues. We all know Muntari to be a strong man and not the type to be afraid to show his concern but to hit a management member to disorganise the whole Black Stars team was disheartening.

Football stars at Muntari’s level feel to possess almost unique power and wields it with great passion but let us remember the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do to you.”

All decent Ghanaians who love Muntari had expected his apology long ago but the delay caused his pariah from the Black Stars. All this while, Muntari should have paused and think hard about the way some of the debate over his attack was heading to.

The Black Stars need not to be a team that is driven by insults, indiscipline, blood – thirsty fist cuffs, and unity destroying individuals. Fortunately, the team ambiance is far better now and represents the intrinsic values and virtues which made the Black Stars the team it was in Stephen Appiah’s time.

Indeed, is no doubt Sulley Muntari is a genius but he made himself a Black Stars pariah