In the wake of Ghana’s disappointing exit from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), defender Mohammed Salisu has extended a heartfelt apology to offended sports journalists.
The Black Stars, unable to secure a much-needed victory, settled for a 2-2 draw against Mozambique, leading to their premature departure from the tournament.
The aftermath of the match saw frustrated Ghanaians, including journalists, expressing their discontent with the team’s performance. In a viral video, Salisu was captured confronting and threatening media personnel who were critical of the players.
That is pride pic.twitter.com/4HS72pbAAr
— JOSEPH MAWUENA DUKE (@Duke_Mawuena) January 23, 2024
Days later, Salisu, now back with his club Monaco in France, has penned a remorseful statement addressing the incident. The center-back expressed his deepest regret about Ghana’s disappointing campaign and apologised for the team’s overall poor showing in the 2023 AFCON.
Salisu’s statement read, “It is with the deepest regret that I am writing to you about our disappointing campaign in the 2023 AFCON. As you all know, we went with the intention of bringing the Trophy home, but it was rather unfortunate that we were eliminated from the tournament in the group stage. We gave absolutely everything, but we were unable to secure the necessary wins to keep us in the tournament.”
View this post on Instagram
Acknowledging the frustration felt by both players and fans, Salisu explained, “My actions towards the media were out of frustration. We went to the 2023 AFCON to win the trophy, but things didn’t go as planned. Everyone will bear me witness; the last game was unacceptable, so the fans have every right to criticize us but not to the extent of insult and threats.”
Salisu went on to extend an unqualified apology to those he may have offended, emphasising that the team is committed to bouncing back stronger in future competitions. The statement also thanked supporters for their tremendous backing throughout the tournament.
In other developments, Ghana’s coach, Chris Hughton, was dismissed by the Ghana Football Association (AFCON), and a committee has been actively formed to search for a suitable replacement. The nation looks ahead to rebuilding and regaining its footballing prowess in upcoming tournaments.