The English Premier League champion has been crowned – Man City wins a third title in a row, fifth in six years and ninth overall. Erling Haaland scoops the best player and young player awards and his coach, Pep Guardiola, receives the award for the season’s best manager – total serenity in Manchester.
Arsenal’s accumulated eighty-eight points in second position which was nineteen better than last season’s is mathematically incredible and deserves applauding. Unfortunately, Thomas Partey’s countenance against Brighton and Hove Albion whiles warming the bench has rather dominated the
media headlines due to his expression of unhappiness.
The apple of Arsenal’s eye has fallen from grace to grass – a contrast of atmosphere in Manchester. A sad story in North London but its roots sprang from
the arena of Ghanaian football sycophants Fallacious hype and unnecessary comparison with certain soccer greats have accounted for Partey’s
current situation.
Imagine being in Partey’s shoes and being made to believe to be at the same level as Michael Essien: a two-time League 1 winner, two-time EPL winner, three-time FA Cup winner, one-time League Cup winner, one-time Uefa Champions League winner and former Africa’s most expensive player. Or Casemiro, a five-time UCL winner, misses a match with your team due to yellow card accumulation and you are made to believe it happened due to his fear of you – what again will be your source of motivation?
This is what ridiculous comparison has done to Partey’s career. It has frozen his motivation and relegated a midfield ”go-to” to bench-warming. Thanks to tongues of deception. In conclusion, ”player hyping” is no bad idea. In certain countries, it is a deliberate measure to ensure their best players play in their best clubs, make some good money and get famous. Unnecessary comparison and overrating of talents are rather the problems. They prevent talented youngsters from reaching their full potential.
Just as it might happen to Partey if care is not taken – all because men of lying tongues decided to overhype him for the sake of their parochial interest, something that got into his head, froze his motivation and turned him into a benchwarmer.
By Nyarko-Boateng Emmanuel (King Kooemma)
