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26.02.2015 Opinion

Ghana’s Love-Hate Relationship With Asamoah Gyan: A Lesson in Managing Criticism

By Irene Danquah | Newaccra.com
Ghanas Love-Hate Relationship With Asamoah Gyan: A Lesson in Managing Criticism
26.02.2015 LISTEN

The just ended AFCON is full of lessons for anybody who is interested in becoming a better person, whether or not they follow soccer. One of the biggest lessons is on the role of Asamoah Gyan, Ghana's most consistent tournament appearer, leading worldcup scorer and current captain of the Black Stars.

As things stand, Asamoah 'Baby Jet' Gyan has already made his mark in Ghana's footballing history. But he is a man who is praised and insulted in equal measure.

Without any support from home, Captain Asamoah Gyan led a team no one cared about from the start of the competition all the way to a defeat at the hands of Ivory Coast in the finals. But it is the circumstances of the defeat in the evening of February 8, 2015 that is of interest to this case study.

During the Ivory Coast- Ghana final, when the 4th official called for a substitution at the 120th minute, I silently prayed it was not what I feared. Sadly, my fears were confirmed when the captain of the Black Stars was substituted. It was sad to see Gyan go off the pitch and to know he was not going to take part in the imminent penalty shoot-outs.

Baby Jet was taken off the pitch for complex reasons. Over his eventful career playing for Ghana, Gyan has missed some golden chances and penalties. Many times when he missed an opportunity, passionate football fans and critics descended heavily on him with insults, curses and even death threats!

At one time, the situation got so serious that Gyan's mother had to intervene to defend her son. In the heat of that situation, the young striker promised his mother never to take a penalty for Ghana again. The good woman of blessed memory passed away not too long ago.

Now here is the point. Could Gyan have scored against Ivory Coast if we had not poured too many negative criticisms on him in the past? Surely, he wouldn't have made that promise to his mother of blessed memory.

I am not saying we should not hold our players to high standards, all football nations do that and we should too. But imagine what would have happened if we had encouraged the younger Gyan to be more focused. Instead of insults, mockery, and death threats, what if we rather pushed him to learn from great strikers like Eto, Drogba, Abedi, Ibrahimovich, Ronaldo, Rooney etc?

Maybe, just maybe, we would have helped the young man become one of the world best strikers.

So next time we want to criticise someone, let's pause and ask if the criticism will build or break the person forever.

On the flip side, what should be our own attitude when we are criticized ? Weeks ago, I sent my work to one of my professional mentors for a review. When her feedback came, it was so disappointing that it nearly made me throw away one full year's work.

But before I made any move, I closed the email, switched off my laptop, and took a nap. When I woke up, I reflected on her feedback and asked myself, how differently could she have put her comments. When I got the answer, I turned a perceived 'negative' criticism into a constructive one and now my work is ready to be used.

So the next time you are criticized or receive unpleasant feedback, please ask yourself, how differently could the person have said this to make me act positively to become better?

When you find the answer, act on it. Excellence will be yours.

The author is a contributor at Newaccra.com, a leading success and personal development website. For more, visit Newaccra.com

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