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 Separating Racism In Football From Under-Performance

By  Gamel Sinare
Opinion Separating Racism In Football From Under-Performance
JUL 13, 2016 LISTEN

Former AshGold striker Yakubu Mohammed recently terminated his contract with Moroccan side Raja Casablanca over what he describes as racism. But the jury is still out on whether his resignation is due to alleged racism or to dwindling performance.

Yakubu, 25, insists he terminated his contract because the North African side abused him racially.

The former AshGold striker left Ghana last August after the first round of the 2014-2015 Ghana Premier League to sign a 3-year mega deal with the Moroccan giants.But he says the Moroccan have been abusing him racially which informed his decision to quit.

“In football, you play where you are needed and respected. They are racists. That is why I left. They have all the facilities to develop the game but they don’t respect we the blacks. They don’t treat us well and it appears our welfare is not a problem for them,” he said.

He, however, did not provide specific details.But a source who acknowledged that racism is pervasive in football, insisted, nevertheless, that “both Raja coaches gave him so many opportunities to play but he wasn't good enough for Raja.”

Former Kotoko and Medeama striker Nathaniel Asamoah, now with Aduana Stars was the first of three Ghanaian stars to terminate his contract with Raja.

Former Kotoko and Maritzburg defender Awal Mohammed also terminated his a few weeks ago with Yakubu’s being the latest.Yakubu’s stint at Raj Casablanca ironically started on a positive note.

He wasted little time in endearing himself to fans of the Green Castle following his scoring the only goal against Kawkab Marrakech in the Moroccan FA Cup.

The Ghanaian striker had grabbed a goal in the 55th minute that helped Raja post a 1-0 victory over rivals Kawkab Marrakech. But things quickly turned sour, however.

Early this year, Raja Casablanca, a first division club, had to loan Yakubu to Union Sportive Ait Melloul, a Moroccan second division club.

The club had said the lethal forward could not prove his worth in the North African country.

Subsequently, the ex-Ashgold star struggled to show his best form on a consistent basis for the Moroccan.Also rather than stabilise, the ace striker’s scoring form further took further nose-dive. He was subdued in the 1-0 loss to KAC Kenitra at Stade Mohamed V as he failed to have an impact on the game.

In the aftermath of the match, the striker actually took to his Facebook timeline to apologise to his teammates, fans and entire team for putting up a poor show.

"I had a bad game yesterday and disappointed myself, teammates and our lovely fans. All I can say is am sorry, things happen to every footballer. Especially as a striker... But it's not over yet... Glory days are ahead of us inshallah... I promise to keep working hard and to die for the club.... I know it's hard to forgive, but am pleading to all fans to forgive me and let's hope for the better in the next coming games.... Thank you... #ComeonRaja#"

But if the striker’s social media apology was intended to elicit empathy, it failed as it rather triggered a fiery response from fans of the Moroccan giants who were furious he has scored just once in four league games.

"Thank you for your feelings but in yesterday's game, you gave the last piece of evidence that you don't have what it takes to belong to our squad . For your dignity and ours , let's call it a day," posted one fan, Moh Essafi.

He even had a message for Yakubu's compatriot, Nathaniel Asamoah who is also on the books of Raja: "Could you please pass on the same message to your fellow citizen, Assamoah..Thank you and good luck to you both."

He was not the only angry one.
"You are the worst player in the world, my little bro can play better than you," Aymane Dria commented. "Could you please go to your country because we need a good striker not a disaster striker," JaWad Gouahmane wrote.

"You playing the same every game you have nothing to bring to the team just leave us. You are the worst foreign player we had in all the history of our great club, just leave it's the best thing you could do," Zakaria Amz added.

"You do not deserve to play in Raja , Raja a great team. Gather your bags and go back to your country," a harsh Nabil Ahmed Rajawi advised.

Some fans were however a bit lenient on the Ghanaian striker, urging him to take his chance when Raja next hosts FUS Rabat in the Morocco Cup.

"You are a disaster striker bro but what we can do? You play in club that we are in love with, so you must play and work hard," an encouraging Si Mohamed Rouman wrote.

"Insha Allah you will rise in your next game, do not read what these write here you are a great player we know what you can and you will prove them wrong in your next game," another fan, Mercedes Zion Change urged.

"Come on, come on, come on, Yakubu, you can do it. You can do better. Do it for Raja fans, the family, your friends and everybody who are supporting you. We are with you in spirit, we know you can do it. Down fall of a man is not the end of his life," Abdul Fatawu Mohammed also advised.

That barrage of hostility from fans apparently fuelled Yakubu’s eventual demand for payment of $30,000 to terminate contract with Raja, culminating in his recent resignation from the club.

Raja Casablanca (officially, Raja Club Athletic, RCA) is arguably Morocco’s best-known football club, competing in the country’s premier league. Known as the people’s club for its entertaining style of play it has, in its 69 year history, evolved from playing just for entertainment into a formidable professional outfit capable of winning trophies at home and abroad.

It has been crowned domestic champions on eleven occasions; and, was placed third in 2000 in CAF's ranking of African clubs of the last century, finishing behind the Egyptian teams, Al Ahly and Zamalek.

The Moroccan football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for men's association football clubs in Morocco . The system has a hierarchical format with promotion and relegation between leagues at different levels, allowing even the smallest club the hypothetical possibility of ultimately rising to the very top of the system.

There are more than 19 individual leagues, containing more than 5 divisions. The exact number of clubs varies from year to year as clubs join and leave leagues or fold altogether, but an estimated average of 12 clubs per division implies that more than 174 teams of nearly 4,176 clubs are members of a league in the Moroccan men's football league system.

At the top is the Groupement National de Football Elite, which has two divisions (GNF 1 and GNF 2). Below that is the Groupement National de Football Amateurs which has two divisions, GNFA 1 (3rd Division) and GNFA 2 (4th Division), and below that is a league of regional divisions.

Kicking racism out of the world’s premier sport is of urgent importance; but so too is safe-guarding the campaign’s processes.

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