I am eating a lot of humble pie tonight. I stuck my neck out and predicted that the Black Stars will be kicked out of the African Cup of Nations today. But they proved me wrong with a one goal triumph over Burkina Faso.
With that they’ve qualified for the quarter final stage of the tournament. It was a well-deserved victory. Some of the played really gave a good account of themselves. Overall, it was an average performance but a few of the players seemed determined to get people like me to stick our feet in our mouth.
I didn’t give them a dog’s chance, especially after they lost so miserably to the Ivory Coast last Friday. Today, they needed a win and they got just that.
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So I get it.
My prediction didn’t come true and I am getting a lot of taunts from so many people through phone calls, text messages and e-mails.
“Your eye die”, one of them wrote to me.
“Shame on you,” another said.
“Anything can happen in soccer,” a friend wrote on facebook as he advised me to have a little more faith in the Black Stars.
Unfortunately, I still think the team in Angola is one of the weakest Black Stars squads this nation has ever had. It won’t win any trophy. Not this year. And certainly not with the likes of Asamoah Gyan and Haminu Dramani playing like some basic school boys from Nana Kobina Nketsiah LA Primary in my hometown, Essikado.
I must say, however, that Dede Ayew has got legend written all over him. His every move mirrors the sultry skills of his dad. He is such a delight to watch. It is the likes of Dede Ayew, Adiyiah and Kwadjo Asamoah who hold the future of the Black Stars.
I see Angola as the nursery where they are being groomed for the future, when, hopefully, they’d inspire me to have some confidence in the Black Stars again. So, for now, if the win over Burkina Faso boosts their confidence, I am happy for them. For their sake I am more than delighted to eat every humble pie I deserve.
