5 times the Black Stars annoyed Ghanaian fans in 2017

Although the team failed to win the coveted Africa Cup of Nations,as well as qualify for the , there were still some positives to look forward to.

However, there were also certain times where the Black Stars simply got everyone worked up, either through their performances on the pitch or by their involvement in an off-field action.

Football is meant to bring joy and happiness to the faces of fans, but that cannot always be the case, especially for the Black Stars.

And if you are aware of how demanding some Ghanaian fans can be, then you should not be surprised by the level of criticism that will come the way of these players when they fail to deliver.

Pulse Sports looks back at five moments in 2017 where the Black Stars simply annoyed Ghanaians.

1. That 1-1 draw with Congo in Kumasi

If 2017 was not the best of years for the Black Stars, then the team’s 1-1 draw with Congo in Kumasi heralds that statement. It was the match that finally ended Ghana’s hopes of a fourth successive World Cup appearances and most Ghanaians were particularly angered by the manner in which the Black Stars played on the day.

With Egypt slipping to a shocking 1-0 loss to Uganda the day before, Ghana was expected to capitalize on the opportunity to enhance their qualification chances. However, the Black Stars blew it up by conceding a sloppy early goal and, worse off, they played like there was nothing at stake.

2. Failing to win AFCON 2017

In all honesty, 2017 did not start on a good note for the Black Stars. With the wounds of that fiasco that ensued at the 2014 World Cup still not completely healed, the Black Stars needed to lift the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in order to appease their fans.

However, after being eliminated – once again – at the semi-final stage of the tournament by Cameroon, the criticisms were effusive. Ghanaians have not felt the AFCON trophy since 1982 and seeing the Black Stars falter again in 2017 did not sit well with many.

3. Razak Brimah’s outbursts

In every movie there is always the hero and the villain. For the Black Stars, though, there was no hero after their woeful performance at the AFCON 2017 in Gabon. But there was a villain. And he was no other than goalkeeper Razak Brimah.

The 29-year-old committed the sacrilege of launching a tirade at Ghanaians for criticizing his performances at the tournament, using all sorts of unprintable words. He went as far as telling Ghanaians to “f***k off” and the consequences were dire. Many called for his axe and when the then Ghana coach Avram Grant failed to bow to the pressure, the nation turned on the whole national team.

4. The armband brouhaha

On a normal day everyone should have gone home happily after Ghana recorded a resounding 5-0 win over Ethiopia in the AFCON qualifiers in June. However, that was not the case and largely because of an armband confusion that transpired in the course of the game.

Captain Asamoah Gyan had brought his own armband with his picture boldly printed on it. And so when he was being substituted, deputy skipper Andre Ayew had to walk down the touchline to pick a fresh band. This episode really got many Ghanaians talking and instead of focusing on the win, they channeled their frustrations at the team.

5. Players pulling out of Congo return game

Following Ghana’s dull 1-1 draw with Congo Brazzaville in Kumasi during the World Cup qualifiers, a number of senior players opted out of the reverse fixture to be played in Brazzaville. The likes of Andre Ayew, Jordan Ayew and Asamoah Gyan all pulled.

However, many Ghanaians were particularly irked by the excuses given by some players for pulling out. Especially with Jordan, who complained of suffering from a stomach upset, yet was in action four days later playing for Swansea City in the Premier League.