Spokesman for the Ayew brothers, Fiifi Tackie, alleges that André Ayew and Jordan Ayew face unfair criticism from sections of the Ghanaian sports media regarding their dedication to the senior national football team, the Black Stars.
In a Facebook post, Tackie pointed out that the siblings remain committed to playing for the national side, attending nearly every invitation, regardless of the match type—friendly, qualifier, or exhibition. However, they frequently receive unwarranted accusations of not being committed.
Tackie mentioned numerous withdrawals ahead of the imminent friendly matches against Nigeria and Uganda. Among those who declined the invitation include Mohammed Kudus, sidelined due to shoulder pain, and Inaki Williams, taking time off to heal from recent injuries.
Additionally, midfielder Thomas Partey requested permission to skip the event to regain complete physical health after suffering multiple injuries, while forward Joseph Paintsil claimed having immigration issues preventing him from travelling beyond America.
Despite understanding reasons behind other players’ absences, Tackie suspects different treatment for the Ayew brothers. He contrasted their consistent availability to the current wave of withdrawals, implying possible bias in reporting.
“The Ayew brothers over the years have honoured almost every call-up to the national team, whether friendlies, qualifiers, or exhibition matches,” he wrote.
“Despite this, they get chastised by some sections of the sports media for not showing commitment. For the two international friendlies against Nigeria and Uganda, we have seen several players pulled out of the squad, yet no one talks about it.”
“Could it be deliberate or because of the all-African games? We are watching.”
Ghana will play Nigeria on Friday, March 22 and then four days later face Uganda.