Ghana (National Football)

At least Ghana will get something out of their off-the-pitch trainwreck of a Brazilian World Cup: potentialy living forever on the big screen. 

American company Bugeater Films is attempting to take the bizarre happenings of last summer to Hollywood. 

Ghanaian players famously refused to train until they were given £1.8 million in bonuses on the eve of their pivotal match against Portugal, with a spot in the knockout stages of the tournament on the line. Sulley Muntari and Kevin-Prince Boateng were also dismissed from the team for internal disciplinary reasons. 

Darryl Wharton-Rigby, who has been brought on to write the script, has big thoughts for its big-screen potential.

Per the BBC World Service (h/t Mirror) he said: 

It's very much truth stranger than fiction. Football and the players needing the money is kind of the backdrop to the story. 

But it's really about the journey of the guy who actually is entrusted to deliver the money and what happens if he doesn't get it there in time. 

I saw footage of the police cars taking the money on the highway and you can just see that scene playing out in your mind with someone like Dwayne 'the Rock' Johnson as the guy having to save the day. You can see all kinds of mayhem happening on the highway. 

It's 50-50 as to whether it will get made, we're still at the early stages so we're going to take it one step at a time. It's a fascinating story and I think audiences internationally would really take to it. 

[The Mirror]

Geremi Njitap is one of the most decorated players in the history of African football. The Indomitable Lion is a two-time Champions League winner and has a combined five league titles, including two Premier League crowns with Chelsea and a Liga BBVA winner’s medal with Real Madrid.

With the national side, he has won two Africa Cup of Nations titles as well as an Olympic gold and, on top of that, he featured for the Central Africans in two World Cups.

As a player, Geremi was a versatile operator, capable of starring up and down the right flank, as well as controlling a game as a holding midfielder.

Despite these honours, and the fact that Geremi made a valued contribution to two highly successful teams he is rarely considered among the continent’s greats.

The player’s “utility man” reputation and lack of star power belies the fact that he was once a feared operator. In the 2002-03 season, for example, when he was on loan at Middlesbrough in the Premier League, he scored seven goals and made eight assists, putting him second only to Thierry Henry  in the EPL assists charts at one point.

But people are unlikely to remember that kind of statistic in the years to come. Geremi’s reputation (much like his club career) may well fade away to the peripheries. People may well remember the honours, but they are unlikely to recall the terrific ability that underpinned those successes.

As things stand, Sulley Muntari is threatening to go down a similar road. Will people remember the Ghanaian as a decorated shell of a player, or as a central midfielder who played at the pinnacle of the sport?

In his career to date, the 29-year-old has picked up a Champions League winner’s medal, two Serie A titles, four domestic cups (one in England, three in Italy) and the FIFA Club World Cup.

As part of Jose Mourinho’s all-conquering Internazionale side, he reached the very top of the world game and collected an assembly of honours that almost any player in the sport would be proud of.

If anyone can argue that Geremi was a peripheral figure, they cannot do the same for Muntari, who played in 27 league games during the 2009-10 season and also featured in nine Champions League matches. He even played the last 11 minutes of the final against Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu.

He was a player Mourinho trusted, and the Special One turned to the Ghanaian in 2008 when, after failing to bring Frank Lampard to Internazionale, he set about recruiting a central midfielder.

In 2010, following Inter’s Champions League and Serie A triumphs, following a starring role (including a quarter-final goal against Uruguay) in the World Cup, Muntari appeared destined for great things. Here, surely, was a dynamic, well-rounded, versatile midfielder who would go on to rack up a whole host of honours.

Amazingly, having won six honours between the summer of 2009 and the end of 2010, Muntari has won nothing since.

In the next two seasons he made 34 appearances, only a further 12 at Inter, nine at Sunderland and 13 on loan at AC Milan, before moving permanently in 2012.

In principle, it was a horizontal step, but Muntari’s move to Milan has coincided with a period of intense renovation for the Lombardy club and the predominance of rivals Juventus.

The recent World Cup was a particularly painful occasion for Muntari and his fans. On the one hand there was anguish in delight. The midfielder’s performance against Germany, in the Black Stars’ 2-2 draw, was terrific.

The game itself was a thriller, but Muntari was particularly superb in the heart of Ghana’s midfield. He spread passes around the park, knowing when to shift the ball wide, when to recycle possession and when to attempt to find Asamoah Gyan with a searching long ball.

His defensive contribution was also encouraging—he made two crucial interceptions and also retrieved the ball with two notable tackles. He also made three successful clearances, helping to ease the pressure on his team as Germany sought to trouble Fatau Dauda.

In terms of 2014 World Cup tackles per game, Muntari averaged four, putting him 14th in the overall list.

Intriguingly, some of his passing and offensive stats were among the highest in the tournament. He averaged an awesome 3.5 key passes per game—fourth behind only Xherdan Shaqiri, Kevin De Bruyne and Miralem Pjanic.

Similarly, he averaged 52 passes per game, putting him 50th overall in the tournament and equal to Italy’s Marco Verratti. Only three African players averaged more.

Finally, and perhaps the clearest indication of Muntari’s all-round qualities, he averaged 2.5 crosses per game…putting that into context, only three players (Pjanic, Mathieu Valbuena and Angel Di Maria) managed more.

It is rare to find a player who can tackle, pass and cross effectively. It is little wonder that, while Muntari was used in a central role for Ghana, he played in a wide berth at the last World Cup and does so occasionally (and effectively) at club level.

Sadly, it all unravelled.

Muntari, along with Kevin-Prince Boateng, was expelled from the Ghana camp ahead of the Black Stars’ final group match with Portugal after being found guilty of an “unprovoked physical attack on an executive committee member.” 

Sadly, it was all too familiar. When things are going well, Muntari is described as “fiery,” and when things are going badly, he is a liability.

Had he not been expelled, he wouldn’t have played anyway, having been suspended for the final match following two yellow cards. Controversy, it seems, is never too far away from the Ghanaian—this is the same character, after all, who once saw fit to do this to ex-Catania player Giacomo Tedesco (skip to 1:25). 

His rap sheet is outlined fairly comprehensively by Goal.com’s Sammie Frimpong here. 

The excellent crossing, astute tackling and occasionally world-class passing were forgotten. Muntari was writing the kind of headlines that, regrettably, we have come to expect from him.

He is such a talented player, but unfortunately, the name Muntari does not conjure up images of him making an astute interception and launching a counterattack.

At 29, Muntari is arguably in the prime of his career, and perhaps heading toward its latter stages. One wonders whether he has the refinement and sense to modify his game once the ravages of time begin to affect his dynamism.

If he wants to be remembered for the right reasons and to end his own personal trophy drought, he must begin to shed these moments of madness.

His compatriot Michael Essien was once renown for a certain kind of savage tackle that coloured his reputation. Essien learned to improve, to eradicate these controversial moments and make the world focus on his talent. Muntari has a bigger perception to change and less time to do it in, but it’s not impossible.

The promise of playing in a fourth World Cup in 2018 (equalling Samuel Eto’o and Rigobert Song in the process) must surely be the driving objective that the former Portsmouth player can use to make the most of this last career cycle.

Inside Futbol, quoting Football Italia magazine, once noted that Muntari was described as "showing himself to possess the touch of Kaka and the combativeness of Edgar Davids.” Those are high standards indeed, but if Muntari can prove that he can escape the reckless behaviour then people may begin, once again, to appreciate the marvellous player that lies beneath. 

Who knows, perhaps Mourinho may once again turn to Muntari to replace Frank Lampard.

Stats via FourFourTwo Stats Zone and Whoscored.com

With his sixth career World Cup goal in Thursday's 2-1 loss to Portugal, Ghana's Asamoah Gyan passed Cameroon's Roger Milla as the tournament's all-time leading goalscorer among African players, per ESPN FC on Twitter.

Playing without star midfielders Kevin-Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari—both of whom were suspended, according to The Sydney Morning Herald—Ghana faced long odds to advance past the group stage. The Black Stars needed both a win over Portugal and a United States loss to Germany, which would have given them a shot to advance on tiebreakers.

While Ghana ultimately fell short, Gyan found the back of the net in the 57th minute, tying the game at 1-1 with a headed goal off a beautiful cross from Kwadwo Asamoah. The goal was Gyan's second of this World Cup, following his right-footed strike in a 2-2 draw with Germany.

Previously, Gyan scored one goal as a 20-year-old at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, then added three more during the 2010 Cup in South Africa.

However, his penalty miss in the 2010 quarter-final against Uruguay was far more memorable than any of his goals. That miss came late in extra time, after Uruguay's Luis Suarez used his hand to prevent Ghana from scoring the would-have-been game-winning goal. Uruguay would later win on penalties, preventing Ghana from becoming the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final.

Luckily for both Gyan and his fans, the powerful forward is just 28 years old. Come Russia 2018, he may get the chance to pad his record-setting total of six World Cup goals.

A picture of Ghana player John Boye, reportedly with his share of a $3 million bonus in cash, has gone viral on the Internet.

Ghana are in disarray after a remarkable 24 hours.

First, reports that the players had demanded their tournament bonus in cash emerged on Wednesday. As per the BBC, a plane was chartered to fly the money in from Africa before another picture emerged of it being taken to the players in convoy:

Here's the $3m cash owed to Ghana's World Cup team, being carried in convoy through Brasilia (Photo via @rede_globo) pic.twitter.com/qGKR4uzsbQ

— BBC Africa (@BBCAfrica) June 26, 2014

Then, earlier on Friday, first-team players Sulley Muntari and Kevin-Prince Boateng were sent home from the squad and suspended indefinitely, as per the BBC.

All of this came with the group-defining match against Portugal just hours away. After a creditable 2-2 draw against Germany, a win would give Ghana a chance of progressing to the last 16 of the tournament.

Whether the above picture is genuine—101 Great Goals also has a second image of Boye purportedly with Ghana officials—is yet to be confirmed.

As an image of Ghana's chaotic tournament, however, it is very resonant.

[H/T 101 Great Goals]

Updates from Monday, June 30

Kevin-Prince Boateng spoke about his exit from Ghana's 2014 World Cup squad (via Fredrick Gyan-Mante):

Original Text

The World Cup is over for Ghana stars Sulley Muntari and Kevin-Prince Boateng, who are to be sent home after reportedly causing havoc in the African side's camp, according to Club Metro, CNN and BBC reporter Gary Al-Smith:

Samuel Luckhurst of the Huffington Post provided more details on Muntari's dismissal after he got physical with a member of staff, while BBC News' Dan Roan indicated Boateng was kicked out after disrespecting coach Akwasi Appiah:

Boateng dismissed the claims, per Marcus Christenson of The Guardian: 

Such news couldn't come at a worse time for the Black Stars, who face a difficult task to overcome Portugal in Thursday's final set of Group G matches. A win, combined with a loss for the USA against Germany, could see Ghana progress, but that is now looking to be in serious jeopardy.

Many would have labelled Muntari and Boateng the African side's most important players before the World Cup. Coach Appiah has surprisingly used the latter sparingly despite his powerful qualities, indicating something may have been wrong throughout the team's stay.

Boateng played just 31 minutes in the loss to Team USA and was hauled off after 52 minutes during his appearance against Germany, per WhoScored.com. Ghana played with real intensity, tremendous pace and incision after Boateng was sacrificed, scoring a fantastic 2-2 draw against one of the competition's toughest sides.

Amazingly, this perhaps isn't the most ludicrous Ghanaian story of the tournament after reports confirmed "between $1.7 million and $2.3 million" was flown to the squad in unpaid bonuses to avoid a player strike, per The Associated Press (via the New York Post).

Muntari's industry is sure to be missed from the centre of midfield, although Ghana can take heart from the fact he was suspended for the Portugal game anyway.

While an in-form Boateng could have made a difference, his recent performances have been forgettable. He has completed just 70.3 percent of his passes in Brazil and failed to register a tackle, per WhoScored.com, suggesting he wouldn't have started in the side's crucial upcoming fixture.

Still, the squad's ability to overcome the loss of their teammates will be tested to the full, especially as this story breaks just hours before kick-off against the Portuguese. Ghana have the ability to overcome the hapless European side—especially after confidence was built against Germany—but the squad's mental state may now be the biggest obstacle.

Ben Lyttleton of The Guardian thinks the duo's dismissal provides the USA with an advantage:

The loss of Muntari could prove pivotal if Ghana escape their group, but Appiah was already prepared to work without the midfielder for Thursday's game. His squad must harness the experience as inspiration if they are to avoid following their disgraced teammates on the next plane home.

Yaya Toure, Samuel Eto'o and Didier Drogba: The first three names one normally thinks of when tasked with identifying the African continent's finest footballing talents.

All three are Champions League winners, each has played in the English Premier League and, surprisingly, neither has been past the group stage in a FIFA World Cup.

One footballer who was a successful spot-kick away from sending his nation to the World Cup semi-finals in 2010, however, is seldom brought up in discussions about Africa's best footballer—due in large part to the circumstances surrounding his current club team.

After a show-out performance in the World Cup four years ago, Ghana's Asamoah Gyan found himself a wanted man. Scoring three goals on football's biggest stage can do that to you. Playing for Ligue 1's Stade Rennais, Gyan was offered the chance to play in the Premier League, easily the globe's most acclaimed domestic sporting competition.

Via BBC Sport, Sunderland paid "in excess of £13 million" for the Ghanaian striker in August 2010. Appearing for the Black Cats 31 times in 2010-11, he scored 10 goals.

A one-goal-in-three-match ratio boded well for Gyan in his first season acclimating to the Premier League, yet the striker's future was far from settled.

Al Ain FC—based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)—offered to take Gyan on loan the following season, proposing a fiscally beneficial option to Sunderland while exponentially increasing Gyan's salary. The win-win situation for both player and clubs seemed too good to pass and the deal was made.

The 2011-12 season saw Gyan net 22 goals in 18 appearances in the Arabian Gulf League. His form inspired Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill to ponder a recall, but the Northern Irishman's thoughts were never realised.

After his season on loan, Gyan completed a permanent move to the UAE, securing a five-year deal worth an alleged £140,000 per week, per Mirror Sport.

Since 2012-13, the Ghanaian captain has scored 59 goals in 44 appearances, bring his total to 81 goals in 62 matches.

These stats seem to indicate a rampant striker, but they prove hollow. An international, world-class, 28-year-old striker beating up on the UAE Arabian Gulf League means what exactly? Essentially nothing.

Assuming footballers, and athletes in general, play for the love of the game is folly. Nobody sits in a cubicle five out of seven days a week for 40 hours because they love paperwork. When something is your profession, love has little to do with the notion of provision.

Hence, Gyan's decision to take the money is hard to fault in a vacuum. An offer nearing £140,000 per week would surely insight temptation, per contra, opting to place money over equal competition leaves a sour taste in a sporting sense.

The concept of "mercenary athletes" is nothing new.

For example, the aforementioned Drogba played for Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua largely for monetary compensation, likewise Eto'o with Russian outfit Anzhi Makhachkala. The difference being Drogba and Eto'o were established stars in the autumns of their respective careers.

Gyan's attempt to make a name for himself in the world's best league lasted less than 14 months—not exactly "established."

Whether Gyan was good enough to take the mantle of "Africa's best" looks to remain a mystery. Gyan's five-year contract in the UAE expires in 2017, when—at age 31—his prime would be firmly in the rear-view mirror.

Only the World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations are available for Ghana's talisman to showcase his talents—talents which seem rather wasted in the Arabian Gulf League.

Were one tasked with the job of making an alliterative group of words to describe the man affectionately known as "Baby Jet" you might find confident, charismatic, clinical and calculated—all leading to the fitting locution: "confounding."

Gyan has proven on the biggest stage he is more than capable of producing goals and leading a team, he graced the Premier League ever so fleetingly, having some semblance of success, yet we find ourselves in the tenuous position of curiosity and quandary regarding his legacy.

Should we look at Asamoah Gyan as one who took the common-sense option of more money? Or should he be frowned upon for not seizing his full potential as a footballer, a sell-out?

One might assume history books will solve the case; however, you may be wise in thinking the conversation will never take place due to a distinct lack of interest.

With a 63rd minute goal during Ghana's 2-2 draw with Germany at the World Cup on Saturday, Asamoah Gyan became the first African player to score at three different World Cups, per ESPN Stats & Info.

The goal was a shocking one in the game, as Ghana took an unexpected 2-1 lead over a team many believe will win the entire tournament. Unfortunately for the Ghanaians, Germany's Miroslav Klose netted the equalizer just eight minutes later, ending the match in a draw. 

Despite only earning one point, Ghana are still alive for the knockout stage, but must beat Portugal in their final group match to have a shot at the next round.

Gyan has now scored five career World Cup goals, tying him with Cameroon's Roger Milla for the most ever scored by an African player, per ESPN's Paul Carr.

Gyan's first World Cup goal was scored in a 2-0 win over the Czech Republic in the 2006 tournament in Germany. It was his only successful strike that year, but he opened up the 2010 World Cup in South Africa by netting against Serbia in a 1-0 win. He then scored in Ghana's next match against Australia, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Arguably, his most important goal came next, when he scored three minutes into stoppage time against the United States to propel Ghana into the quarterfinals, where they eventually lost to Uruguay on penalties.

Gyan will try to become the all-time leading goalscorer among African players when Ghana face Portugal on Thursday. Both sides need a victory to maintain any hope of advancing to the knockout round.

Hands up if you can name Africa’s highest-earning sportsman.

Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast) at Manchester City, is said to be on $15-18 million a year, per Forbes. Another former Barcelona player, Seydou Keita (Mali), is one of a number of Africans earning a seven-figure fortune in China.

The Ghanaians Michael Essien and Sulley Muntari will be on good money in Italy's Serie A, as will Kevin-Prince Boateng at Schalke—but not as much as the Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Tamba Hali (Liberia), whose salary is more than $11 million.

There is, however, a less likely contender.

Asamoah Gyan, another of Ghana’s World Cup stars, usually plays in front of tiny crowds in a country where fans do not even have to pay to watch matches.

Gyan plays for Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates, the only club in the Arabian Gulf League who regularly draw crowds in the thousands. He has been the league’s top scorer for three seasons, netting 100 goals in all competitions. In case he becomes a hot property again in Brazil, Al Ain want him to sign an improved contract that would keep him in the UAE for the rest of his career.

Gyan, 28, was said by an American magazine to be on $220,000 a week two years ago, though that was almost certainly an exaggeration. The National, a newspaper in the United Arab Emirates, believes the figure is closer to $170,000. But the new contract would take him to another level and almost certainly beyond Yaya Toure as the highest earner—because his wages are tax free.

There was uproar when Gyan left the Premier League to sign for Al Ain three seasons ago. He had been a star at the 2010 World Cup, when Ghana were cruelly denied a semi-final place by Luis Suarez’s infamous handball in the last few seconds of extra time of the Ghana-Uruguay tie.

Gyan missed the penalty that Suarez conceded, then scored the first kick in the penalty shootout. But Ghana lost.

Gyan moved to Sunderland, then managed by Steve Bruce, where he was top scorer in 2010-11. The following season, Al Ain came calling; Gyan took the money and ran.

Bruce said at the time, per the Daily Mail: “I can’t understand someone’s logic. Africa’s player of the year, a hero in his own country, to leave the biggest stage in the world to go and play in the Emirates...football leaves a bad taste in your mouth sometimes.”

What did he expect? Bruce is hardly a great loyalist himself—he was in charge of five clubs in his first three-and-a-half years of management. Gyan was born in Accra, where many people will not earn in a lifetime what he earns in a fortnight. Of course he wanted the money.

What really annoys fans is when players give us all that badge-kissing, “I love the club” nonsense just before and even just after signing for another club.

Peter Odemwingie apparently still loves West Brom, Emmanuel Adebayor must be due another move because he still loves Tottenham and so on and so on. “I don’t understand why everybody lies," said Tottenham’s Cameroon international Benoit Assou-Ekotto just before the 2010 World Cup. “I play for money.”

At least Gyan has not spouted off any nonsense. He has spoken highly of Al Ain, but he genuinely likes being a big star in a small league, and he has worked very hard throughout his time there. “I had a lot of negative comments, moving from one of the best leagues in the world, but that’s normal,” he told Ghanaian TV station ETV—watch the clip on YouTube here.

“But I’ve been top scorer, Al Ain won everything… everybody’s happy. What else can a player ask for? I am getting regular playing time, the money is good and the coaches, players and fans love me. It’s a very great feeling here.”

He is still a superstar in Ghana, where he is known by his boyhood nickname of “Baby Jet.” He has always loved music and appeared in pop videos with his “hiplife” singer friend, Castro. He set up a charitable foundation to help provide rural areas with clean water.

He has also amassed a fleet of cars that is the envy of all Ghana. His most recent acquisition was a Rolls Royce. According to News One in Accra he also has two Porsches, a Hummer, a BMW, a Chrysler, a Cadillac, a Dodge, and a Bentley, all with customised ‘B Jet’ number plates. He wouldn’t have had that lot at Sunderland, even if he was well paid there.

Gyan has also been very honest about the Suarez incident. He has said it before, but in a recent interview for The National he reiterated his view about the handball that stopped Ghana becoming the first African team to make the last four of the World Cup:

Sometimes when I’m alone, I get up and put the DVD on and start watching that game. I’ve probably watched it 20 times. I wish the match could happen again because it really hurts me every time.

I’m sorry to use this word, but people do hate him [Suarez] in my country. It’s very painful to cheat, but it’s part of the game. He handled the ball, but he saved his country. If I were Suarez I would have done the same thing, to save my country.

Gyan is confident Ghana can do well again in Brazil, despite their bad luck in the draw. They are in Group G alongside Germany, Portugal and the United States, who they play on Monday.

“We must fight like we did in 2010, play our hearts out and be tactically disciplined," Gyan said. "Then we’ll have a good tournament and everything will happen naturally. People see Ghana as the underdogs and we’re hoping to prove them wrong.”

It will be good to see him back in the limelight. 

Brian Oliver was the longest-serving sports editor of the world's oldest Sunday newspaper, The Observer (1998-2011). He has attended the African Cup of Nations seven times for The Observer and The Daily Telegraph, including Burkina Faso in 1998.