Ghana star Andre Ayew has launched a scathing attack at West Ham's sacked director of recruitment Tony Henry for questioning the attitude of African players.
The Swansea City said African players are “very proud” of themselves after the Hammers recruitment boss claimed players from the continent foment trouble in the dressing room.
West Ham were forced by the circumstances to dismiss Henry after the Daily Mail newspaper revealed his surreptitious plan of limiting the signing of African players.
Henry said Hammers longer wanted to sign African players because “they have a bad attitude” and “cause mayhem” when not selected, a claim that sparked anger in many quarters.
Ayew was then a player of West Ham when Henry made the comments and had not spoken about the issue since it broke out while he was playing for the Hammers.
The Ghana international, who left West Ham last week to rejoin Swansea in an £18million deal, has now hit out at the Hammers officials insisting Africans bring success to their sides.
"I just know that we African players are proud of ourselves, we know where we have come from, and we believe in our football," said Ayew on Thursday.
"African players -- like Didier Drogba -- have played at the greatest clubs in the world and done their jobs.
"We have done a lot to get into professional football and African footballers now play for Barcelona, Real Madrid and Chelsea.
"It's an honour to be an African. I am so proud and so happy and I wouldn't change it for anything."
West Ham's Senegalese midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate posted "African and proud" on his Instagram account the day after Henry's comments were made public.
Below is the video of Andre Ayew's interview: