One of the fallouts of Ghana’s shambolic world cup campaign was the suspension of star duo Kevin Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari. Whilst Sulley would surely be back, as this isn’t the first time he has been suspended from the Stars, Boateng’s case is a little less clear cut.
This is because he was apparently one of the ring leaders in the ‘$3m’ fiasco, and also got into an altercation with the coach. Since his suspension, he also held an interview in which he basically burned all his bridges with the Football Association.
So I was very surprised when he held an interview with German magazine Bild, in which he left a slim hope hanging for a Stars’s return. He told the magazine ”I would reconsider the subject, if someone approaches me”
Leaving aside the condition that someone might never approach him, I think it’s time we admitted this Boateng experiment has been a failure and move on. This relationship has never been a love affair, but a mutually beneficial exploitative arrangement; those never last, and it’s time we admit this partnership has run its course.
Boateng initially wanted to play for Germany, he only considered Ghana because he wasn’t good enough to crack the German side, and he took the chance to appear at the world cup. Afterwards, when his performances with the Black Stars earned him a deal with Italian giants A.C Milan, he promptly retired from the Black Stars.
His reason; his body couldn’t handle the dual pressures of playing for both club and country. That has got to be lamest excuse ever; every footballer worth his salt plays for both club and country, so why is Prince so special?
The real reason, of course, was that there was a lengthy qualifying process to navigate and he wanted nothing to do with it. When qualification was all but sealed, who comes out of international retirement to take all the glory? I give you one guess as to who it is.