Is Grant wrong to remind us to stop the Bullshitting and Concentrate on Footy?

Avram Grant pierced the heart of many Ghanaian journals with his Mozambique post-match presser after the former Chelsea Coach reminded most journals to stop the bullshitting and concentrate on the game.

The Black Stars Coach has zero history of lashing out at journals and it’s well-documented that the 64 year old has received flaks from journals in recent months for what they described us staying away from his duties.

Grant is arguably the highest profiled coach to have ever managed the Black Stars no wonder he cannot take the pettiness and bullshitting of some journals.

So is Grant wrong to remind some journals to stop the bullshitting and concentrate on football? Not at all.

These are the bare facts since Grant took over.

Lest we forget that Grant will always be credited for hailing the acrimonious campaign the team endured in Brazil after taking over the reins from Kwesi Appiah.

Avram statistics since his appointment have been remarkable with the pinnacle been the success story of the team in the 2015 AFCON.

Grant's success has and will always be on the field and exactly so he has lived up to his huge billing of once again making Ghana a force in African Football after the team became public enemy number one in 2014.

Though the team has miles ahead to win the heart of many Ghanaians, Grant is on his way in restoring the pride the team had in the past.

The Israeli has been in charge of 19 games, winning eleven, drawing 5 and losing three. This achievement by the former West Ham coach makes him stands tall comparing him to his predecessors.

STATISTICS
1. Load on Gyan, thing of the past.
For more than a decade the Black Stars have relied solely on the ingenuity of Captain Asamoah Gyan in most matches, but since Grant took over the burden on Gyan has diminished tremendously.

Ghanaians are yet to press the panic button even though their leading goal scorer’s performance has been blighted by injuries for close to a year.

Grants Black Stars has scored 33 goals since taking over in 19 matches, but guess what, Baby Jet has scored three out of the 33 goals.

This is the reason fans are yet to press the panic button, Gyan’s load has been reduced significantly and credit goes to Grant for such effort.

Grant’s high tempo and pressing game has elevated midfields into the final attacking third helping the goal scoring burden being shared among players on the field.

Out of the 33 goals scored, Aston Villa’s Jordan Ayew leads the pack with 5 goals Mubarak Wakaso, Christian Atsu, Emmanuel Agyemang Badu have scored more than 2 goals since Grant took over the reins.

2. Kwarasey’s return.
Governmental and GFA gurus failed to convince Adam Kwarasey to return to the team after the disarray in Brazil, once again credit goes to Grant for his role in making sure one of the safest pair of hands in the MLS returns to the team.

There was a media glee when the former Stromgodset captain confirmed his return to the team

Adams return is a healthy competition for erratic Razak Braimah and Fatau Dawuda and it’s just a matter of time, the Portland Timbers goalie will be ahead of his competitors in between the post.

Kwarasey by far is all a country needs in post, and his return only makes Grant’s squad stronger for future international matches.

3. Rich Bench.
Daniel Amartey and Jeffery Schlupp, Ebenezer Assifuah could easily walk straight into most National teams, but guess what the trio were on the bench when the Stars lined up against Zimbabwe in Accra in the 2017 African Cup of Nations qualifier.

Grant gave Amartey and Assifuah their debut, but Grant has received temper tantrums from journals for his mantra that he is monitoring players in Europe.

Rich bench wins matches and we can take a delight in what Grant has achieved with his monitoring as compared to some years back when we barely had top class players to even start matches for the Black Stars.

4. Local player’s inclusion.
WA All Stars goalie Richard Ofori, Samuel Tetteh of WAFA have had cracks with the team on merits and that alone is a statement that Grant gives equal opportunity to almost every Ghanaian player and not the known faces in Europe.

Yes and admittedly Grant doesn’t need to watch all 32 matches in the Ghana premier league to know which players deserve a call up when the core of his squad is based in Europe.

Players of Ghanaian origin, but playing outside Ghana also have an equal chance of being called up into the team, and it shouldn’t be journals making cases only for locally based players.

Countries came calling and were ready to offer almost 100,000 dollars for Grant’s services after the successful campaign of the team in the 2015 AFCON.

He respected his contract with the GFA, albeit the huge offers which was on the table

The statistics for Avram Grant are clear and will even get better with time if he is allowed and given his freedom to work.

A lot of bullshitting must stop and Grant is right to spit it out for his work is a footprint for all to see.

By Russel Wiafe, New York.