Ex-Ghana FA boss Tamakloe in astonishing Essien attack

Published on: 27 April 2010

Ex-Ghana FA chief Dr. Nyaho Tamakloe has launched an astonishing attack on Chelsea ace Michael Essien implying that he is an age cheat.

The former Hearts of Oak boss also fingered John Pantsil of Fulham and Hearts' Laryea Kingston, and Sunderland powerful defender John Mensah saying their recent injuries are testament to his allegation.

The ex-diplomat was not diplomatic when he implied that the four players are among the hundreds of Ghanaian stars who have been involved in age cheating which is now catching up on them.

In a sharp rebuttal Randy Abbey, the spokesman for the Ghana Football Association, says such statements are designed to berate the players and undermine Ghana's World Cup campaign.

Mr Tamakloe made his attack in an interview with a local radio station Peace FM when asked about the growing number of injuries in the Ghana squad ahead of the World Cup.

"Essien is 1, Pantsil is 2, John Mensah is 3, and Laryea Kingston. Even if they say he is fit is a bit doubtful to me," Tamakloe said.

"So if you watch carefully we don't have frontline players we can call players who can take us up. It’s a bit disturbing.

"What I personally have observed is that most of them are burnt out now.

Listen to Tamakloe's attack on Essien and others

"I remember when I was the FA boss I insisted that anyone that would have to be brought into the Black Stars and for that matter even the junior groups must be right.

"We must make sure we bring people whose ages reflect would represent the exact tournament they are supposed to be playing in."

The outburst was immediately criticised by the younger Ghana FA's director of communications who fears not only a negative effect on the country but also far from the truth.

"I beg to differ with my uncle Dr. Nyaho Tamakloe. With all due respect, I think that the issues are unfounded," Abbey told Peace FM.

"There are many players across the world who are injury prone and I think injuries are part of football.

Click here to listen to Randy Abbey's refutation of Tamakloe's allegation

"I do not think people should despair. I recall that Graphic Sports did an editorial during the Nations Cup after Ivory Coast had beaten us that this was a January Disaster and that the June disaster was about to happen.

"When (they make such criticisms) and things turn around, they do not come back to say that ‘what we said was wrong’."

Meanwhile some football fans who Ghanasoccernet interviewed described Mr Tamakloe's attack on the players as "utterly irresponsible".

"The red mist comes down and his judgement flies out of the window. He has no right whatsoever to insult our national heroes who have got integrity," Lawrence Opare a Ghana football expert said.

"The said players must actually come out to sue him so that he can come clean with any information he knows. Otherwise he must shut up. This is utterly irresponsible.

"Now Ghanaians are sick and tired of people of accuse our players of being age cheats yet they are reluctant to provide information or contrary evidence to back their scurrilous claims.

"This is not the first time we are hearing this but until such a time that a player takes someone to court to nail such accusers they won't stop sniping.

"He has every right to his own view but not to express it especially when you are a former FA boss and have no evidence whatsoever to back your claims."

Tamakloe is a well known football firebrand and in 1987 fired all the players of Ghana's biggest clubs Hearts of Oak and replaced them with young players who went on to win laurels.

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.
Learn more