Ayew confident in Black Stars team

Black Stars skipper Andre Ayew has expressed confidence in the current young generation of players in the national team, urging Ghanaians to remain calm and patient as the team develops.

 Despite being in top form, the 34-year-old Ayew has been sidelined by Ghana’s coach, Otto Addo, who prefers to focus on relatively younger players as part of his rebuilding process.

During a guest lecture in a sports psychology class at the University of Ghana, Ayew spoke about the determination and patriotism he saw in the squad. 

He emphasised that the team was committed to winning and understood the significance of Ghana’s football to the nation.

“Yes, I can sit here and say that the team is patriotic. The team wants to win. We are all Ghanaians, and we are in a team with a different generation of players. Coming up psychologically, everyone needs to understand what Ghana football means to the people of the country," Ayew stated.

He explained that the team was gradually coming together, partly because many players had roots in the local league and had played together before moving abroad.

“Today, we have a young squad who are now understanding bit by bit everything that is coming. They started early, we had players who played for Liberty Professionals, Hearts of Oak in Ghana before leaving the country," he said.

Ayew, who currently plays for Le Havre in the French Ligue 1, noted that players moving abroad at a young age adopted Western mentalities more easily and must readapt when they returned home. 

“Today most of the players leave very early, so they cultivate the outside mentality easier. So, when they come home, they must readapt themselves,” he explained.

He further emphasised that players in the national team were motivated by their love for the country and called for patience from Ghanaians. 

"The patriotism has nothing to do with the psychology; they want to play: if not, they wouldn’t wear the jersey. What they need is patience, and the job will be done,” Ayew concluded.