Betraying tradition or pacifying the faithful? [Ayi’s punishment unclear]

Conspicuously missing in the Accra Hearts of Oak 23-man squad in the betPawa Premier League week 27 match against Bechem United at the Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park was Richmond Ayi-for a third time in a row.

Prior to his controversial appearance at Aiyinase against Karela United in their 3-0 thrashing, he was the team’s safe pair of hands in goal. His powdered smeared face is surely accountable for his exclusion from the team recently.

But are the Phobians new to this? Certainly not. Then why is Ayi frozen out ? Are they abandoning their belief system or making an ”innocent football cultural practitioner” a scapegoat? Football and superstition are bedfellows and can’t be downplayed in Africa and the world. It’s(superstition) sometimes deemed archaic but its potency beats human comprehension.

Accurate predictions from the oracular Paul the Octopus, Carlos Bilardo’s Kiricocho invocation(an invocation in the Spanish language which causes an opponent to fail) which won him the Argentine League.

in 1982 and Rama Pantarotto’s red ribbon lucky charm gift to Messi which aided him in winning the 2022 World Cup trophy after previous failure in 2018, are vivid examples of situations in the supernatural overweighed tactics and scientific soccer.

Minutes before the CI Kamsar game, Hearts of Oak players were pictured with flowers behind their ears-a superstitious direction indicating they are new to it (superstition). The suspended goalkeeper, Richmond Ayi, on countless occasions, has been caught on StarTimes cameras sprinkling salt on the pitch.

An action I doubt the Phobian hierarchy was unhappy at in games they won. I continue to ask, why has Ayi been taken out? For a superstitious practice, the club condones or appeases the agitation of the fans? Are they saying goodbye to ”ways and means” or running for cover through Ayi’s punishment? The continental club masters have questions to answer and the answers must be convincing.

Story by : Nyarko-Boateng Emmanuel (King Kooemma)