Achimota vs Mfantsipim: the backstory of Bashir Hayford's rant

The pressmen gathered at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium wanted Bashir Hayford's post-match comments after his exit from the FA Cup. And, boy, did they get it.

Hayford, the notoriously temperamental coach of AshGold, was not in the best of moods after his team had slumped at a time he expected an emphatic win.

Some media reports have had it that the coach looked down upon the journalists' educational backgrounds at the press conference. Unfortunately, that's not quite accurate.

The background
On Wednesday, AshGold played Kotoko in Kumasi. At stake was a place in the FA Cup semifinal. Kotoko are defending champions while AshGold have been in terrific form in the league.

With Kotoko's poor form, many expected a tough test for the Porcupine Warriors.

But AshGold lost 2-0 and, as expected, there was controversy. Their player Osei Baffour was sent off after allegedly using the F word on the referee.

Kotoko used their numerical advantage well and booked a last four date with Aduana Stars. AshGold could only lick their wounds.

1. The 'toilet' comment
When asked about the cause of his team’s defeat post-game, Hayford blamed frustration. “Nothing went wrong. What went wrong was frustration. The boys were frustrated."

"If you are playing a leading role in a team and the coach has assigned you duties [and then] all of a sudden you are taken out of the team, the team will be frustrated.

"They are human beings. You are telling them to control their temper so as you tell me to control my temper but they are human beings.

"When I feel like going to toilet, nobody tells me so the annoyance will come naturally."

2. On his animated demeanour during the game
Bash was then quizzed about his complaints concerning refereeing and the fact that his demeanor could have affected his players.

Hayford: "Which of the players? Which of the players, so many players were there? In the first place I have not complained about officiating. I am commenting on -"

The journalist interrupted, trying to clarify.
Hayford (shouting): "Listen! Listen! I taught English let me correct the sentence. I taught English in the training college let me correct the sentence."

"I have not complained. I am only criticizing the way he removed my playmaker."

"I have worked with my team for so many years. They know my demeanor. The way I work is not the way you work and the way I talk is not the way you talk and because I have been teaching in the classroom. I shout, so if you see me shouting it means I am communicating loudly.”

3. On his take about the match referee
"I don’t assess referees. I have seen the match and I want your help as some people who are called sports analysts or football analysts. It is not the way you start calling people and bluffing we call analysis."

And then Bash gave the journalists present a little something to think about.

"Have you head of something called Allotey constant? [Professor Allotey] is a Ghanaian [and] his name will remain. But we are interested in foreign things. If what I did was done by Mourinho, yaay! Listen tomorrow to the airwaves [and you will hear accolades of] 'Mourinho champion coach!'”

4. The 'Achimota' comment
“That one is for football magicians. After you have finished, if it had been done like that. That one doesn’t work. If you had gone to Achimota where would you have been? If your father took you to Achimota who could have been you know? So 'if clauses' don’t come in here.

"I have prepared my team, I know their strengths and weakness, I don’t use if clause to play my game.”

The stunned journalist responded: "I went to Mfantsipim School. That’s a better school than Achimota."

The encounter follows last week’s threat by Hayford that he will beat up any journalist in Kumasi who talks “trash” about him.

The defeat to Hayford's side means they only have the league to win. And they are on course to do so as they wait to play Hasaacas on Sunday afternoon.

The ref's take
Prince Amoah was in charge of this game, and he's rubbished Bashir's prickly comments.

“Bashiru Hayford is noted for complaining any time his team loses a game, so I am not surprised of his comments,” he told Metro fm.

“He was showing a lot of gestures on the touchline in course of the game, but I didn’t hear what he said. Although my assistants reported to me that he used a lot of abusive words on them, I don’t usually center my claims on hearsay.

“It is about time something was done to him to ensure he put up a good behavior on the field.”

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Story by Ghana/Joy Sports/Kweku Arhin & Gary Al-Smith